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Earendel: Most Distant Star Cluster Observed Using Gravitational Lensing
Key points
- Earendel is 28 billion light-years away, making it the most distant candidate star.
- It may be a cluster rather than a single star, as suggested by JWST observations.
- Gravitational lensing significantly magnified the star's light, aiding visibility.
Discovery and Significance of Earendel
Earendel, designated WHL0137-LS, is currently recognized as the most distant known star or star cluster, located 28 billion light-years from Earth in the constellation Cetus. Its discovery was made possible by the Hubble Space Telescope in 2022, which utilized gravitational lensing caused by the foreground galaxy cluster WHL0137-08. This fascinating object allows astronomers to explore stellar formations at unprecedented distances, highlighting the capabilities of modern astronomical techniques.
Gravitational Lensing and Observability
Gravitational lensing occurs when a massive object, such as a galaxy, distorts the light from objects behind it. In Earendel's case, the lensing effect magnified its brightness by a factor ranging from a thousand to forty thousand, enabling its observation. Other distant objects, including similar candidates like Godzilla, have also been identified through this method, although their classifications remain debated.
Characterization Through Advanced Telescopes
Research is ongoing to characterize Earendel further. While initial findings from Hubble suggested it may be a single star, subsequent observations by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) imply it could actually be a star cluster. JWST's advanced capabilities are expected to analyze Earendel's spectra to verify if it is indeed one stellar entity or multiple stars, particularly by detecting heavier elements beyond hydrogen and helium.
Cultural References and Naming
The name Earendel is derived from Old English, meaning 'morning star' or 'rising light,' and is also a nod to J. R. R. Tolkien's character Eärendil, who is associated with brightness in the sky. This connection underscores the cultural significance imbued within astronomical discoveries, as NASA astronomer Michelle Thaller confirmed this intentional homage while introducing the object and its host galaxy, nicknamed 'Sunrise Arc', due to its unique appearance resulting from gravitational lensing.
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Primary sources
arXiv 2209.14866 arXiv 2208.09007 arXiv 2404.10755 arXiv 2405.06953 arXiv 2504.08879 arXiv 2507.05483Reporting from
Earendel, a star cluster located 28 billion light-years away in Cetus, has been studied using Hubble and JWST. Its discovery indicates the capabilities of gravitational lensing in observing cosmological distances in astronomy.