What are Dark Stars called?
- Dark Star (dark matter): A star heated by the annihilation of dark matter particles within it.
- Dark-energy Star: An object composed of dark energy that outwardly resembles a black hole.
Our universe is vast and complex. While our knowledge has advanced significantly, scientists continue to work on unveiling many mysteries. One such incredible secret of Dark Matter Stars has been revealed by the James Webb Telescope (JWST).
The James Webb Telescope Discovery
The James Webb Telescope has observed something never seen before — a Dark Star. These stars are unlike normal stars. Whereas normal stars shine through fusion reactions, dark stars are powered by dark matter. By analyzing them, scientists hope to uncover new insights into the universe.
The Composition of the Universe
The universe is divided into three main parts:
- Visible Matter (Atoms): 4.6%
- Dark Matter: 24%
- Dark Energy: 71.4%
Visible matter includes everything we can see: humans, mountains, the Sun, the Moon, etc. But dark matter, making up nearly a quarter of the universe, remains a mystery. Dark energy, on the other hand, drives the expansion of our universe.
Dark Matter and Galaxies
Are galaxies made of dark matter? According to NASA, about 95% of our galaxy’s mass is invisible and made of dark matter. Though never directly measured, its gravity shapes galaxies and even influences comets and spacecraft in our Solar System.
Why do scientists believe in dark matter?
Because galaxies rotate much faster than their visible mass suggests, the unseen force behind this is dark matter. Dark matter stars, in particular, glow millions of times brighter and are billions of times larger than normal stars.
How Do Dark Stars Form?
After the James Webb discovery, scientists created multiple simulations of dark stars.
- Einstein once predicted black holes (which were later confirmed).
- He also predicted white holes, which repel everything. Though never observed, mathematics suggests they exist.
Similarly, mathematics and simulations point to the existence of Dark Stars — though only recently have we begun to observe them.
Dark Matter in Simple Terms
Dark matter consists of particles that do not absorb, reflect, or emit light, making it invisible to electromagnetic detection.
After the Big Bang, clouds of helium and hydrogen interacted with dark matter, leading to the formation of the first stars.
In a research paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (USA), scientists revealed that JWST observed three objects in the distant universe that were initially mistaken for galaxies but were later identified as Supermassive Dark Stars.
Competing Theories of the First Stars
- Population III Stars Theory:
- First stars formed only from helium and hydrogen.
- Over time, heavier elements like neon, carbon, and iron were created in their cores.
- Katherine Freese’s Dark Star Theory (2008):
- Simulations showed that the first stars may have been dark stars powered by dark matter annihilation.
- This early phase of stellar evolution prevented collapse, allowing dark stars to grow massive.
Gravitational Signatures of Dark Matter
Dark matter does not interact with electromagnetic signals. However, scientists detect its gravitational influence.
When dark matter particles collide, they release energy into helium and hydrogen clouds, catalyzing the birth of dark stars. These stars may even lie at the center of dark galaxies that formed around 200 million years after the Big Bang.
The Fate of Dark Stars
Dark stars started small but grew massive as they absorbed surrounding dark matter. Unlike our Sun (which will die in 8 billion years), dark stars eventually collapse into supermassive black holes.
Scientists now believe that these black holes originated from the deaths of dark stars, explaining why early black holes existed despite the small size of Population III stars.
The James Webb Telescope has already identified three such dark stars:
- Two are a million times larger than our Solar System.
- One is half a million times more massive than our Sun.
Conclusion
We still know little about the formation of Dark Stars, but JWST has shown that such events were crucial in the early universe. The interaction between dark matter and visible matter is a gateway to understanding one of the universe’s deepest mysteries.
This marks a groundbreaking achievement of the James Webb Telescope and a new chapter in our quest to understand the cosmos.