~13.5 billion years agoReputable sourceWell documented
The First Stars: Cosmic Dawn
On the timeline · around ~13.5 billion years ago · Cosmic Dawn
What happened
A few hundred million years after the Big Bang, the first stars ignited and ended the Dark Ages. Made only of hydrogen and helium, these Population III stars were enormous, brilliant and short-lived.
Why it matters
Their light lit up the universe for the first time — the 'Cosmic Dawn' — and their violent deaths forged the first elements heavier than helium.
Sources
- NASA. Webb: The Early Universe · Reputable source