MoM‑z14 was first identified on 16 May 2025, through observations by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), led by astronomer Rohan Naidu and colleagues as part of the “Mirage or Miracle” (MoM) survey .
Here’s a snapshot of the timeline and significance:
- Discovery Date: 16 May 2025 (photometric detection and follow‑up spectroscopic confirmation) .
- Confirmation: Spectroscopy using JWST’s NIRSpec established a redshift of z ≃ 14.44, making MoM‑z14 the most distant galaxy ever spectroscopically confirmed, corresponding to light emitted ≈280 million years after the Big Bang .
This pinned-down date means JWST broke its own previous record (for JADES-GS-z14-0), extending the frontier of observable cosmic dawn even further .
