Tracing the History of Starlight with NASA's Fermi Mission

Gamma rays from distant galaxies called blazars interact with starlight as they travel across the universe. As shown in this video, those reaching the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope can help scientists learn about the history of star formation throughout the cosmos.
Scientists using data from NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope have measured all the starlight produced over 90 percent of the universe’s history. The analysis, which examines the gamma-ray output of distant galaxies, estimates the formation rate of stars and provides a reference for future missions that will explore the still-murky early days of stellar evolution.

Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center