Astronomers uncover 'cosmic fossil' galaxy offering glimpse into early universe's seven-billion-year history

Like Earth's dinosaur fossils that unlock secrets of prehistoric life, the galaxy KiDS J0842+0059 provides an extraordinary look at the universe's initial stages.
PUBLISHED JUL 4, 2025
This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image features a densely populated group of stars, the globular cluster NGC 1841 (Cover Image Source: NASA)
This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image features a densely populated group of stars, the globular cluster NGC 1841 (Cover Image Source: NASA)

Astronomers have made a groundbreaking discovery: a remarkably undisturbed galaxy, dubbed a "cosmic fossil," that has remained virtually unchanged for an astonishing seven billion years. This celestial relic, known as KiDS J0842+0059, offers a striking window into the universe's early evolution, much like dinosaur fossils on Earth provide insights into ancient life. Located three billion light-years away, KiDS J0842+0059 represents a rare class of galaxies that have somehow evaded the gravitational pull and destructive collisions common in the cosmos. This pristine state makes it an invaluable "time capsule" for researchers studying the formation and development of the earliest galaxies, as reported on Space.com



 

Recent analysis, primarily utilizing data from the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT), confirmed the galaxy's extraordinary stability. "We have discovered a galaxy that has been 'perfectly preserved' for billions of years, a true archaeological find that tells us how the first galaxies were born and helps us understand how the universe has evolved to this day," stated Crescenzo Dove, co-leader of the research team and a National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF) researcher. He liked these fossil galaxies to "dinosaurs of the universe," providing crucial clues about their formation environments and the subsequent evolution of today's massive galaxies. 

NASA Scientists Discover a Novel Galactic ‘Fossil’ (Image Source: NASA)
NASA Scientists Discover a Novel Galactic ‘Fossil’ (Image Source: NASA)

KiDS J0842+0059 was initially identified in 2018 by the KiDS (Kilo Degree Survey). Subsequent observations with the Very Large Telescope Survey Telescope (VST) and the Very Large Telescope (VLT) refined measurements of its size and mass. These investigations revealed that while the galaxy possesses a stellar mass approximately one hundred billion times that of our Sun, it is unusually compact for its mass and has largely ceased forming new stars throughout its existence. 

This image captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory on June 20, 2013 shows the bright light of a solar flare on the left side of the Sun (Image Source: NASA)
This image captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory on June 20, 2013 shows the bright light of a solar flare on the left side of the Sun (Image Source: NASA)

To eliminate any ambiguities regarding KiDS J0842+0059's characteristics, particularly its dimensions and structure, the team employed the LBT's adaptive optics system. This cutting-edge technology yielded images with ten times the detail of previous observations, solidifying the galaxy's status as a true relic. "Data from the LBT have allowed us to confirm that KiDS J0842+0059 is indeed compact and therefore a true galaxy relic with a shape similar to NGC 1277 and the compact galaxies we observe in the early stages of the universe," explained Chiara Spiniello, team member and a researcher at the University of Oxford. "This is the first time that we have been able to do this with such high-resolution data for a galaxy relic so far away." 

NGC 1277, another example of a stunted galactic fossil, is considerably closer, situated within the Perseus Cluster approximately 240 million light-years away. The findings of this pivotal research were recently published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. The existence of galaxies like KiDS J0842+0059 and NGC 1277 suggests that some galaxies can form rapidly, maintain a compact structure, and remain dormant for billions of years by skillfully avoiding galactic collisions, as mentioned by the outlet

This is a Hubble Space Telescope image of galaxy NGC 1277. The galaxy is unique in that it is considered a relic of what galaxies were like in the early universe (Image Source: NASA)
This is a Hubble Space Telescope image of galaxy NGC 1277. The galaxy is unique in that it is considered a relic of what galaxies were like in the early universe (Image Source: NASA)

"Studying these cosmic fossils helps us reconstruct the formation history of the nuclei of today's massive galaxies, which — unlike relic galaxies — have undergone fusion processes, accreting matter right around those first compact galaxies from which they originated," remarked another team member, Tortora. "With cutting-edge technologies such as adaptive optics and the support of telescopes such as the LBT, we can improve our understanding of this type of galaxy." The team anticipates further breakthroughs by searching for and studying new relic galaxies using the exceptional quality and high-resolution data from the upcoming Euclid space telescope. 

MORE STORIES

A long-overdue solar blast struck, delivering a powerful hit to Earth and the newly discovered Comet Lemmon (C/2025 A6), causing a dramatic, though temporary, separation of the comet's tail.
5 hours ago
Researchers at the University of York now propose that the elusive substance could leave a subtle, detectable red or blue 'fingerprint' on light.
1 day ago
Researchers led by a team at MIT identified a unique chemical signature in ancient rocks pulled from deep within the Earth, including samples from Greenland, Canada, and the Hawaiian mantle.
1 day ago
Led by the Curtin University-based ICRAR, an international team of astronomers has ruled out a 'cold start' for the Epoch of Reionisation, a crucial, little-explored era in cosmic history.
5 days ago
Discovered by ATLAS in July 2025, the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS is only the third such visitor ever observed in our solar system.
5 days ago
By compiling signals from the Einstein Probe and the Russian Konus-Wind spectrometer, scientists verified the unprecedented phenomenon.
6 days ago
International astronomers used the Allen Telescope Array (ATA) to detect a rapid, powerful surge of radio waves signaling the destruction of a star.
6 days ago
A re-analysis of data from the defunct Cassini probe confirms the moon's subsurface ocean is more chemically rich than previously thought.
7 days ago
According to preliminary analysis, the newly identified exoplanet TOI-4507 b is challenging fundamental theories governing how celestial bodies evolve.
7 days ago
A new academic investigation suggests that previously unrecognized observations of the significant galactic supernovae SN 1006 and SN 1181 may be preserved within ancient Arabic writings.
7 days ago