A JWST Pure-Parallel Search for the First Galaxies With PANORAMIC

The James Webb Space Telescope offers unparalleled capabilities for observing the most distant objects in the universe, allowing us to study the first galaxies to form. In this work, the Lyman-break technique and spectral energy distribution fitting were used to analyse the JWST PANORAMIC survey and identify 26 robust galaxy candidates at redshifts greater than 9.5, including three around redshift 14.5. These candidates will make excellent targets for follow-up spectroscopy. The derived UV luminosity function at z = 14.5 is consistent with literature determinations at similar redshifts and implies a modest evolution in the number density of galaxies from z ∼ 14 to z ∼ 11. Future research based on this work could determine when the first galaxies formed, confirming or challenging current theories of cosmic evolution.