During the cosmic dawn of our universe, 'empty' space looked very different

Have you ever wondered what the universe looked like after the Big Bang when it was still in its infancy, a mere billion years old? With NASA’s new Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, we’re about to get a glimpse of the cosmic dawn.

This cosmic time machine is set to explore an era known as the cosmic dawn, a significant transition when the universe went from a foggy opacity to the stunning, star-filled expanse we observe today.

Behind this ambitious project is the esteemed astrophysicist Michelle Thaller from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

“Something very fundamental about the nature of the universe changed during this time. Thanks to Roman’s large, sharp infrared view, we may finally figure out what happened during a critical cosmic turning point,” she shares.

Setting the stage

Imagine the universe as a newborn, a hot sea of particles and radiation. As it expanded and cooled down, protons captured electrons, forming neutral atoms and setting the stage for the stars and galaxies.

But there was a catch — these neutral atoms absorbed light, creating a fog that cloaked the cosmic stage, an epoch now known as the cosmic dark ages.

This intriguing period, lasting from around 380,000 to 200 million years after the big bang, was a time of suspense, like an overture before the main performance, culminating in the cosmic dawn when the fog finally lifted.

“We’re very curious about how the process happened,” adds Aaron Yung from the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore.

Prime suspects reveal cosmic dawn

So, what caused the fog to lift? The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope aims to unmask the culprits. The likely suspects include early galaxies and their black holes.

How? Early galaxies, characterized by massive stars, could produce energetic light capable of breaking up neutral atoms. Meanwhile, black holes could have generated massive radiation, contributing to the same process.

“Roman will excel at finding the building blocks of cosmic structures,” says Takahiro Morishita, an assistant scientist at Caltech/IPAC.

He explains that Roman’s wide, clear views could quickly identify dense regions where the “fog” was being cleared, providing data on early galaxy evolution and the cosmic dawn.

How the cosmic dawn emerged

The earliest stars were no ordinary performers. Their intimidating mass and high-energy radiation lit up the universe, played a part in forming galaxies, and eventually contributed to the emergence of the cosmic dawn. But their lifetime was a fleeting moment on the cosmic scale.

Science theorizes that these celestial heavyweights quickly collapsed to birth black holes.

As the universe was still comparatively smaller, these black holes could have easily merged to form even larger ones. These supermassive black holes may have played key roles in clearing the hydrogen fog of the early universe.

Symphony of telescopes

The Roman Space Telescope isn’t alone in this journey; it pairs with NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, working as a dynamic duo to illuminate the cosmic dawn.

While Webb probes the early universe with its deeper view, Roman broadens the perspective, examining how common quasars truly are and collecting a massive amount of data on early galaxies.

These combined efforts will give us an unprecedented glimpse into the universe’s early life.

Mysteries of the universe’s transition

As we step back into the throes of the universe’s birth with Roman’s extensive view, we inch closer to resolving the mystery of cosmic dawn.

Exploring the contributions of early galaxies and quasars, the Roman Space Telescope could decipher how these cosmic elements carved out bubbles in the primordial fog, paving the way for today’s clear and expansive cosmic views.

In this cosmic journey, Roman’s observations will contribute significantly to understanding how galaxies and their central supermassive black holes emerged from the primordial gas, influencing star formation, and ultimately, the universe as we know it.

With the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, we embark on an enlightening exploration of how our universe transitioned from being opaque to the brilliant cosmos we perceive today.

Guided by a team of stellar scientists and supported by leading industrial partners, this mission shines the spotlight on a transformative period in our cosmic history: The Cosmic Dawn.

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