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Star 13 Billion Light Years From Earth Is Most Distant Ever Discovered

This detailed view highlights the star Earendel's position along a ripple in space-time (dotted line) that magnifies it and makes it possible for the star to be detected over such a great distance—nearly 13 billion light-years. 

This detailed view highlights the star Earendel's position along a ripple in space-time (dotted line) that magnifies it and makes it possible for the star to be detected over such a great distance—nearly 13 billion light-years. 

Source: NASA, ESA, Brian Welch (JHU), Dan Coe (STScI); Image processing: NASA, ESA, Alyssa Pagan (STScI)
By
THE PRESS ASSOCIATION (Sophie Wingate, PA)

The most distant star ever seen has been observed by astronomers, who say the discovery could unlock secrets of a still-unknown era of the universe.

The light from the star has taken some 12.9 billion years to reach Earth, much more than the nine billion light years of the farthest "supergiant" previously observed.