The early galaxy cluster is 12.4 billion light-years away from Earth

Astronomers recorded images of 14 galaxies merging with a series of newly born stars.

The scientists observed 14 galaxies that are united by telescopes at and Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX), Xinhua today reported. This is a primitive galaxy cluster named SPT2349-56 . The light from it began to reach Earth only about 1.4 billion years later, the explosion is believed to be the origin of the universe.

Galaxies in the process of consolidation.(Photo: NRAO / AUI / NSF).

Stars are formed in each galaxy of SPT2349-56 at a rate of 1,000 times that of the Milky Way but only in the three largest spaces . Galaxies will merge and grow into galactic clusters, one of the largest structures in the universe. "Recording images of a large cluster of galaxies is miraculously forming," said astrophysicist Scott Chapman at Dalhousie University.

However, a large early galaxy cluster like SPT2349-56 should have a longer development time, the team said."The merger happened very early, bringing a small challenge to the current understanding of the formation of cosmic structures , " Chapman added.

"The reason why this galaxy cluster grows so fast is still a mystery. It does not grow gradually over billions of years as astronomers predict," said Tim Miller, co-author of the study. Astronomers predict that in the future, 14 galaxies will merge into a giant elliptical galaxy.

The team of scientists believes that SPT2349-56 will help them understand more about how galaxy clusters today form and develop, for example, finding the source of superheated gas flooded in galaxy clusters. The very high star formation rate of SPT2349-56 can help explain this.

A series of new stars born during the formation of galaxy clusters are likely to push hot gas into the intergalactic space. This gas is not strong enough to create new stars. Instead, they "wandered" in galaxy clusters.