First Generation Of Stars
Population III stars constitute the universe’s first generation of stellar objects, forming approximately 100 to 200 million years after the Big Bang. These primordial stars emerged from gas clouds composed exclusively of hydrogen and helium, lacking the heavy elements found in later generations. This absence of metals fundamentally distinguished them from subsequent stellar populations and significantly influenced their physical properties and evolutionary paths.
The lack of metal-line cooling in these pristine gas clouds allowed them to collapse more efficiently, leading to the formation of stars that were likely much more massive than those observed in the modern universe. Their formation marked a critical transition in cosmic history, initiating the process of chemical enrichment that would enable the formation of subsequent generations of stars and planetary systems.
Recent observations by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have provided evidence of Population III stars in the distant galaxy GN-z11. This detection supports theoretical models regarding the early universe’s star formation processes and offers insights into the conditions that prevailed during the epoch of reionization.