Inconvenient Galaxies

(3 Minute Read. 22Mar2023)

Andromeda Galaxy
A spiral galaxy with a trillion stars
about 2.5 million light-years away.

Near the edge of the observable universe, astounding discoveries have emerged recently!

Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have observed massive galaxies they call “universe breakers.”
(See the prequel Stars Galore for info on JWST.)

What unexpected data could prompt such stunning terminology from veteran astronomers?

Finding intricate, giant galaxies at the extreme reaches of the universe disrupts evolutionary theories. Such a discovery challenges cosmological doctrines like the contrabiblical Big Bang Theory which essentially says “nothing exploded into everything” almost 14 billion years ago.

New Data Challenges Big Bang

Last year, an international team of astrophysicists from the United States, Australia, Denmark, and Spain, began analyzing data from JWST. Telescope images from a tiny patch of sky near the Big Dipper yielded something surprising. Last month the team of astronomers announced the discovery of six huge, mature galaxies at the edge of the observable universe. The astronomers announced their findings in the journal Nature February 22, 2023.

What is the significance of these new discoveries? How do they challenge evolutionary Big Bang astronomy?

From the evolutionary point of view, these galaxies were formed only a few hundred million years after the Big Bang. They are too highly structured and too big with too many stars to have “evolved” in such a short time.

The discovering astronomers dubbed them “universe breakers” because their discovery calls into question evolutionary astronomers’ entire understanding of galaxy formation and its timeline. In short, the galaxies are too massive, too compact, and too early. Explosions (big bangs) just do not produce ordered structures like these.

James Webb Space Telescope Galaxy Images
JWST images of massive galaxies from the dawn of the universe.
Bottom-left reddish galaxy has as many stars as our Milky Way,
but it is 30 times more compact.

These massive galaxies from the dawn of the universe should not exist according to evolutionary astronomers.

Astrophysicist Dr. Erica Nelson of the University of Colorado Boulder and one of the researchers who made the discovery said this:
“It’s bananas. You just don’t expect the early universe to be able to organize itself that quickly. These galaxies should not have had time to form. . . . We still didn’t expect James Webb to see such mature galaxies existing so far back in time. I’m so excited.”
(University of Colorado Boulder Press Release, Webb telescope spots super old, massive galaxies that shouldn’t exist, Feb 22, 2023.)

Astrophysicist and astronomer Dr. Joel Leja of Penn State University and one of the researchers who made the discovery said this:
“These objects are way more massive​ than anyone expected. We expected only to find tiny, young, baby galaxies at this point in time, but we’ve discovered galaxies as mature as our own in what was previously understood to be the dawn of the universe.”
“The revelation that massive galaxy formation began extremely early in the history of the universe upends what many of us had thought was settled science. We’ve been informally calling these objects ‘universe breakers’ — and they have been living up to their name so far.”
“We looked into the very early universe for the first time and had no idea what we were going to find. It turns out we found something so unexpected it actually creates problems for science. It calls the whole picture of early galaxy formation into question.”
(Penn State Press Release, Discovery of massive early galaxies defies prior understanding of the universe, Feb 22, 2023.)

These galaxy discoveries challenge much more than just evolutionary theories of star and galaxy formation. They challenge evolutionary theories on the formation of the entire universe! Lead author of the Nature paper announcing the galaxy discoveries, Professor Ivo Labbé of Swinburne University of Technology in Australia, said this about the difficulty:
“It was pointed out to us after we submitted the paper that there wasn’t actually enough gas in the universe at that point to form [as many massive galaxies as this study suggests] – and that was a bit of a shocker. If you form these monsters, and they contain more stars than the available gas in the universe, that’s a bit of a problem.”
(Quoted in Huge Young Galaxies Seen by JWST May Upend Our Models of the Universe, New Scientist, Feb 22, 2023.)

Massive galaxies found near the edge
of the observable universe by JWST.
(NASA Representational image)

Solution to the Problem

Are these newly discovered Inconvenient Galaxies, which astronomers admit are completely incompatible with evolutionary theories of astronomy, a problem for Bible believers? Absolutely NOT!

Are these Inconvenient Galaxies a problem for the Biblical Creationist? Absolutely NOT!

Are these Inconvenient Galaxies 13 billion years old? Absolutely NOT!

Biblical Creationists do not dispute that these newly discovered galaxies are from the “dawn of the universe.” We do dispute that they are 13 billion years old.

The Great Creator hung the stars and galaxies in space, including these Inconvenient Galaxies, about 6,000 years ago on Creation Day 4. (Genesis 1:14-19)

The Big Bang is a myth. Thirteen billion years is a myth.

The Great Creator and His work is not a myth.
Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these stars, the One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name. Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power not one of them is missing. (Isaiah 40:26)
It is Yahweh who made the earth by His power, who established the world by His wisdom. By His understanding He stretched out the heavens. (Jeremiah 10:12)
Ah Lord GOD! Behold, Thou hast made the heavens and the earth by Thy great power and by Thine outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for Thee.
(Jeremiah 32:17)

Questions to Ponder

1. Which evolutionist friends might be open to discussing these new presupposition-shaking galaxies with you? Will you pray for them and watch for opportunities?
2. How can the vastness and complexity of the starry host enrich worship of Yahweh the Great Creator?

Share your thoughts on these questions in the comments below. It could encourage or help another reader.

For Christ and His Kingdom.
Alere Flammam Veritatis.
Soli Deo Gloria.

Read the prequel:
Stars Galore

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©William T. Pelletier, Ph.D.
“contending earnestly for the faith”
“destroying speculations against the knowledge of God”
“for the defense of the gospel”
(Jude 1:3; 2 Cor 10:5; Phil 1:16)
Wednesday March 22, 2023 A.D.

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork. (Psalms 19:1 ESV)

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