JWST has spotted the distant cluster XLSSC 122, which has an unusually dense core of dark matter and shows strong gravitational lensing. The finding suggests some large cosmic structures may have formed faster than models predict.
01Summary
- 01XLSSC 122 lies about 10.4 billion light-years from Earth and dates to the era known as cosmic noon.
- 02Researchers said it is the most distant galaxy cluster known to show strong gravitational lensing.
- 03The cluster was first identified in 2014 by ESA's XMM-Newton spacecraft, with Hubble later helping to confirm its distance.
- 04JWST revealed curved arcs of light around the cluster's centre, giving the first clear evidence of strong lensing there.
- 05The study was presented on 17 June 2026 at the 248th meeting of the American Astronomical Society.
02Why it matters
The result gives astronomers a new way to map dark matter in the early universe and to test models of how galaxies and clusters formed. It may help explain why some huge structures seem to have assembled sooner than expected.
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