The University of Kansas (KU) team has embarked on the MIRI EGS Galaxy and AGN (MEGA) survey to explore the formation and growth of early galaxies and their central black holes.

Using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), astronomers have found that black holes at the centers of galaxies underwent significant growth during 'cosmic noon,' which occurred roughly 2 to 3 billion years after the Big Bang.

This period, known as cosmic noon, is crucial in the universe's evolution, as it is when galaxies were rapidly forming stars, contributing to an estimated half of all stars in modern galaxies.

Many of the galaxies observed in this study host rapidly feeding supermassive black holes, which emit bright radiation due to the friction of material swirling around them, a phenomenon referred to as active galactic nuclei (AGNs).

The research team concentrated their efforts on the Extended Groth Strip, a galaxy-rich area near the constellation Ursa Major, where they identified approximately 10,000 galaxies within a region the size of the moon.

The JWST's infrared capabilities play a vital role in this research, allowing scientists to study galaxies that are obscured by dust, which absorbs visible light but permits infrared light to pass through.

Currently, KU researchers are meticulously analyzing data collected from 67 hours of JWST observations, with an additional 30 hours of observations approved for future studies.

The findings from this research suggest that some of the AGN-hosting galaxies may be ancestors of galaxies similar to the Milky Way, offering valuable insights into their formation, star birth rates, and interactions with other galaxies.

The public can participate in this research through the Cosmic Collisions Zooniverse project, where they can help classify galaxies and identify mergers, thereby enhancing the understanding of cosmic evolution.

Although the data is not yet publicly available, the KU team plans to release it in a raw format after one year, enabling others to process and analyze the findings.