The Cosmic Dark Ages · Asteria Star

Definition

The period after recombination and before the first stars, when the Universe was filled with neutral gas and no sources of light.

Scientific overview

After the CMB was released, the Universe entered a dark, starless era of neutral hydrogen and helium slowly drawn together by gravity and dark matter. It ended when the first stars ignited.

Open questions

Exactly when did the first luminous objects form?

Rests on

Recombination

Knowledge connections

Depends onRecombination
Part of modelThe Lambda-CDM Model
Required byCosmic Dawn & the First Stars
Preceded byRecombination
Followed byCosmic Dawn & the First Stars

Sources & references

Facts on this topic will be cited from these primary and reference sources.

NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration
Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.
Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.

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