News from the Observatory

The most massive galaxies present two to three billion years after the Big Bang differ dramatically from today's, when the universe is 13.7 billion years old.The most massive galaxies present two to three billion years after the Big Bang differ dramatically from today's, when the universe is 13.7 billion years old.

10 January 2012

Hubble Study Challenges 'Cosmic Fireworks' as Largest Driver of Galaxy Evolution

AUSTIN — A Hubble Space Telescope study of massive galaxies two to three billion years after the Big Bang has uncovered two remarkable results that challenge the common lore that major mergers play a dominant role in growing galaxies over a wide range of cosmic epochs.

Astronomers led by University of Texas at Austin graduate student Tim Weinzirl and associate professor Shardha Jogee will present their findings, recently published in The Astrophysical Journal, today at the 219th meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Austin. Read more »