By Ron Cowen
Peering ever deeper into space and further back in time, two teams of astronomers have uncovered new details about the earliest galaxies and galaxy clusters in the universe.
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One team, aided by a cosmic magnifying glass, has detected the earliest, most distant galaxy yet known. The scientists first told Science News about the galaxy 2 years ago (SN: 5/27/00, p. 340: Newfound Galaxy Goes the Distance), and they have now published their findings in the April 1 Astrophysical Journal Letters.