JWST Imaging of Earendel, the Extremely Magnified Star at Redshift z = 6.2

Brian Welch; Dan Coe; Erik Zackrisson; S. E. de Mink; Swara Ravindranath; Jay Anderson; Gabriel Brammer; Larry Bradley; Jinmi Yoon; Patrick Kelly; Jose M. Diego; Rogier Windhorst; Adi Zitrin; Paola Dimauro; Yolanda Jiménez-Teja; Abdurro’uf; Mario Nonino; Ana Acebron; Felipe Andrade-Santos; Roberto J. Avila; Matthew B. Bayliss; Alex Benítez; Tom Broadhurst; Rachana Bhatawdekar; Maruša Bradač; Gabriel B. Caminha; Wenlei Chen; Jan Eldridge; Ebraheem Farag; Michael Florian; Brenda Frye; Seiji Fujimoto; Sebastian Gomez; Alaina Henry; Tiger Y.Y. Hsiao; Taylor A. Hutchison; Bethan L. James; Meridith Joyce; Intae Jung; Gourav Khullar; Rebecca L. Larson; Guillaume Mahler; Nir Mandelker; Stephan McCandliss; Takahiro Morishita; Rosa Newshore; Colin Norman; Kyle O’Connor; Pascal A. Oesch; Masamune Oguri; Masami Ouchi; Marc Postman; Jane R. Rigby; Russell E. Ryan; Soniya Sharma; Keren Sharon; Victoria Strait; Louis Gregory Strolger; F. X. Timmes; Sune Toft; Michele Trenti; Eros Vanzella; Anton Vikaeus

doi:10.3847/2041-8213/ac9d39

JWST Imaging of Earendel, the Extremely Magnified Star at Redshift z = 6.2

Brian Welch, Dan Coe, Erik Zackrisson, S. E. de Mink, Swara Ravindranath, Jay Anderson, Gabriel Brammer, Larry Bradley, Jinmi Yoon, Patrick Kelly, Jose M. Diego, Rogier Windhorst, Adi Zitrin, Paola Dimauro, Yolanda Jiménez-Teja, Abdurro’uf, Mario Nonino, Ana Acebron, Felipe Andrade-Santos, Roberto J. AvilaMatthew B. Bayliss, Alex Benítez, Tom Broadhurst, Rachana Bhatawdekar, Maruša Bradač, Gabriel B. Caminha, Wenlei Chen, Jan Eldridge, Ebraheem Farag, Michael Florian, Brenda Frye, Seiji Fujimoto, Sebastian Gomez, Alaina Henry, Tiger Y.Y. Hsiao, Taylor A. Hutchison, Bethan L. James, Meridith Joyce, Intae Jung, Gourav Khullar, Rebecca L. Larson, Guillaume Mahler, Nir Mandelker, Stephan McCandliss, Takahiro Morishita, Rosa Newshore, Colin Norman, Kyle O’Connor, Pascal A. Oesch, Masamune Oguri, Masami Ouchi, Marc Postman, Jane R. Rigby, Russell E. Ryan, Soniya Sharma, Keren Sharon, Victoria Strait, Louis Gregory Strolger, F. X. Timmes, Sune Toft, Michele Trenti, Eros Vanzella, Anton Vikaeus

Earth and Space Exploration, School of (SESE)

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

30 Scopus citations

Abstract

The gravitationally lensed star WHL 0137-LS, nicknamed Earendel, was identified with a photometric redshift z _phot = 6.2 ± 0.1 based on images taken with the Hubble Space Telescope. Here we present James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Near Infrared Camera images of Earendel in eight filters spanning 0.8-5.0 μm. In these higher-resolution images, Earendel remains a single unresolved point source on the lensing critical curve, increasing the lower limit on the lensing magnification to μ > 4000 and restricting the source plane radius further to r < 0.02 pc, or ∼4000 au. These new observations strengthen the conclusion that Earendel is best explained by an individual star or multiple star system and support the previous photometric redshift estimate. Fitting grids of stellar spectra to our photometry yields a stellar temperature of T _eff ≃ 13,000-16,000 K, assuming the light is dominated by a single star. The delensed bolometric luminosity in this case ranges from log ( L ) = 5.8 to 6.6 L _⊙, which is in the range where one expects luminous blue variable stars. Follow-up observations, including JWST NIRSpec scheduled for late 2022, are needed to further unravel the nature of this object, which presents a unique opportunity to study massive stars in the first billion years of the universe.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	L1
Journal	Astrophysical Journal Letters
Volume	940
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ac9d39
State	Published - Nov 1 2022

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

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10.3847/2041-8213/ac9d39

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Welch, B., Coe, D., Zackrisson, E., de Mink, S. E., Ravindranath, S., Anderson, J., Brammer, G., Bradley, L., Yoon, J., Kelly, P., Diego, J. M., Windhorst, R., Zitrin, A., Dimauro, P., Jiménez-Teja, Y., Abdurro’uf, Nonino, M., Acebron, A., Andrade-Santos, F., ... Vikaeus, A. (2022). JWST Imaging of Earendel, the Extremely Magnified Star at Redshift z = 6.2. Astrophysical Journal Letters, 940(1), Article L1. https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ac9d39

Welch, B, Coe, D, Zackrisson, E, de Mink, SE, Ravindranath, S, Anderson, J, Brammer, G, Bradley, L, Yoon, J, Kelly, P, Diego, JM, Windhorst, R, Zitrin, A, Dimauro, P, Jiménez-Teja, Y, Abdurro’uf, Nonino, M, Acebron, A, Andrade-Santos, F, Avila, RJ, Bayliss, MB, Benítez, A, Broadhurst, T, Bhatawdekar, R, Bradač, M, Caminha, GB, Chen, W, Eldridge, J, Farag, E, Florian, M, Frye, B, Fujimoto, S, Gomez, S, Henry, A, Hsiao, TYY, Hutchison, TA, James, BL, Joyce, M, Jung, I, Khullar, G, Larson, RL, Mahler, G, Mandelker, N, McCandliss, S, Morishita, T, Newshore, R, Norman, C, O’Connor, K, Oesch, PA, Oguri, M, Ouchi, M, Postman, M, Rigby, JR, Ryan, RE, Sharma, S, Sharon, K, Strait, V, Strolger, LG, Timmes, FX, Toft, S, Trenti, M, Vanzella, E & Vikaeus, A 2022, 'JWST Imaging of Earendel, the Extremely Magnified Star at Redshift z = 6.2', Astrophysical Journal Letters, vol. 940, no. 1, L1. https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ac9d39

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title = "JWST Imaging of Earendel, the Extremely Magnified Star at Redshift z = 6.2",

abstract = "The gravitationally lensed star WHL 0137-LS, nicknamed Earendel, was identified with a photometric redshift z phot = 6.2 ± 0.1 based on images taken with the Hubble Space Telescope. Here we present James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Near Infrared Camera images of Earendel in eight filters spanning 0.8-5.0 μm. In these higher-resolution images, Earendel remains a single unresolved point source on the lensing critical curve, increasing the lower limit on the lensing magnification to μ > 4000 and restricting the source plane radius further to r < 0.02 pc, or ∼4000 au. These new observations strengthen the conclusion that Earendel is best explained by an individual star or multiple star system and support the previous photometric redshift estimate. Fitting grids of stellar spectra to our photometry yields a stellar temperature of T eff ≃ 13,000-16,000 K, assuming the light is dominated by a single star. The delensed bolometric luminosity in this case ranges from log ( L ) = 5.8 to 6.6 L ⊙, which is in the range where one expects luminous blue variable stars. Follow-up observations, including JWST NIRSpec scheduled for late 2022, are needed to further unravel the nature of this object, which presents a unique opportunity to study massive stars in the first billion years of the universe.",

author = "Brian Welch and Dan Coe and Erik Zackrisson and {de Mink}, {S. E.} and Swara Ravindranath and Jay Anderson and Gabriel Brammer and Larry Bradley and Jinmi Yoon and Patrick Kelly and Diego, {Jose M.} and Rogier Windhorst and Adi Zitrin and Paola Dimauro and Yolanda Jim{\'e}nez-Teja and Abdurro{\textquoteright}uf and Mario Nonino and Ana Acebron and Felipe Andrade-Santos and Avila, {Roberto J.} and Bayliss, {Matthew B.} and Alex Ben{\'i}tez and Tom Broadhurst and Rachana Bhatawdekar and Maru{\v s}a Brada{\v c} and Caminha, {Gabriel B.} and Wenlei Chen and Jan Eldridge and Ebraheem Farag and Michael Florian and Brenda Frye and Seiji Fujimoto and Sebastian Gomez and Alaina Henry and Hsiao, {Tiger Y.Y.} and Hutchison, {Taylor A.} and James, {Bethan L.} and Meridith Joyce and Intae Jung and Gourav Khullar and Larson, {Rebecca L.} and Guillaume Mahler and Nir Mandelker and Stephan McCandliss and Takahiro Morishita and Rosa Newshore and Colin Norman and Kyle O{\textquoteright}Connor and Oesch, {Pascal A.} and Masamune Oguri and Masami Ouchi and Marc Postman and Rigby, {Jane R.} and Ryan, {Russell E.} and Soniya Sharma and Keren Sharon and Victoria Strait and Strolger, {Louis Gregory} and Timmes, {F. X.} and Sune Toft and Michele Trenti and Eros Vanzella and Anton Vikaeus",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022. The Author(s). Published by the American Astronomical Society.",

year = "2022",

month = nov,

day = "1",

doi = "10.3847/2041-8213/ac9d39",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "940",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal Letters",

issn = "2041-8205",

publisher = "IOP Publishing Ltd.",

number = "1",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - JWST Imaging of Earendel, the Extremely Magnified Star at Redshift z = 6.2

AU - Welch, Brian

AU - Coe, Dan

AU - Zackrisson, Erik

AU - de Mink, S. E.

AU - Ravindranath, Swara

AU - Anderson, Jay

AU - Brammer, Gabriel

AU - Bradley, Larry

AU - Yoon, Jinmi

AU - Kelly, Patrick

AU - Diego, Jose M.

AU - Windhorst, Rogier

AU - Zitrin, Adi

AU - Dimauro, Paola

AU - Jiménez-Teja, Yolanda

AU - Abdurro’uf,

AU - Nonino, Mario

AU - Acebron, Ana

AU - Andrade-Santos, Felipe

AU - Avila, Roberto J.

AU - Bayliss, Matthew B.

AU - Benítez, Alex

AU - Broadhurst, Tom

AU - Bhatawdekar, Rachana

AU - Bradač, Maruša

AU - Caminha, Gabriel B.

AU - Chen, Wenlei

AU - Eldridge, Jan

AU - Farag, Ebraheem

AU - Florian, Michael

AU - Frye, Brenda

AU - Fujimoto, Seiji

AU - Gomez, Sebastian

AU - Henry, Alaina

AU - Hsiao, Tiger Y.Y.

AU - Hutchison, Taylor A.

AU - James, Bethan L.

AU - Joyce, Meridith

AU - Jung, Intae

AU - Khullar, Gourav

AU - Larson, Rebecca L.

AU - Mahler, Guillaume

AU - Mandelker, Nir

AU - McCandliss, Stephan

AU - Morishita, Takahiro

AU - Newshore, Rosa

AU - Norman, Colin

AU - O’Connor, Kyle

AU - Oesch, Pascal A.

AU - Oguri, Masamune

AU - Ouchi, Masami

AU - Postman, Marc

AU - Rigby, Jane R.

AU - Ryan, Russell E.

AU - Sharma, Soniya

AU - Sharon, Keren

AU - Strait, Victoria

AU - Strolger, Louis Gregory

AU - Timmes, F. X.

AU - Toft, Sune

AU - Trenti, Michele

AU - Vanzella, Eros

AU - Vikaeus, Anton

PY - 2022/11/1

Y1 - 2022/11/1

N2 - The gravitationally lensed star WHL 0137-LS, nicknamed Earendel, was identified with a photometric redshift z phot = 6.2 ± 0.1 based on images taken with the Hubble Space Telescope. Here we present James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Near Infrared Camera images of Earendel in eight filters spanning 0.8-5.0 μm. In these higher-resolution images, Earendel remains a single unresolved point source on the lensing critical curve, increasing the lower limit on the lensing magnification to μ > 4000 and restricting the source plane radius further to r < 0.02 pc, or ∼4000 au. These new observations strengthen the conclusion that Earendel is best explained by an individual star or multiple star system and support the previous photometric redshift estimate. Fitting grids of stellar spectra to our photometry yields a stellar temperature of T eff ≃ 13,000-16,000 K, assuming the light is dominated by a single star. The delensed bolometric luminosity in this case ranges from log ( L ) = 5.8 to 6.6 L ⊙, which is in the range where one expects luminous blue variable stars. Follow-up observations, including JWST NIRSpec scheduled for late 2022, are needed to further unravel the nature of this object, which presents a unique opportunity to study massive stars in the first billion years of the universe.

AB - The gravitationally lensed star WHL 0137-LS, nicknamed Earendel, was identified with a photometric redshift z phot = 6.2 ± 0.1 based on images taken with the Hubble Space Telescope. Here we present James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Near Infrared Camera images of Earendel in eight filters spanning 0.8-5.0 μm. In these higher-resolution images, Earendel remains a single unresolved point source on the lensing critical curve, increasing the lower limit on the lensing magnification to μ > 4000 and restricting the source plane radius further to r < 0.02 pc, or ∼4000 au. These new observations strengthen the conclusion that Earendel is best explained by an individual star or multiple star system and support the previous photometric redshift estimate. Fitting grids of stellar spectra to our photometry yields a stellar temperature of T eff ≃ 13,000-16,000 K, assuming the light is dominated by a single star. The delensed bolometric luminosity in this case ranges from log ( L ) = 5.8 to 6.6 L ⊙, which is in the range where one expects luminous blue variable stars. Follow-up observations, including JWST NIRSpec scheduled for late 2022, are needed to further unravel the nature of this object, which presents a unique opportunity to study massive stars in the first billion years of the universe.

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JO - Astrophysical Journal Letters

JF - Astrophysical Journal Letters

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JWST Imaging of Earendel, the Extremely Magnified Star at Redshift z = 6.2

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