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The Power To Do Awe-Inspiring Astronomical Discoveries

February 17, 2026 | News, Research, UToday, Alumni, Natural Sciences and Mathematics

By Nicki Gorny

Dr. Eli Visbal, an associate professor and theoretical astronomer, led new research proposing the first direct detection of some of the oldest stars in the universe — a discovery made possible thanks to the unprecedented capabilities of the James Webb Space Telescope. Learn more at utoledo.edu/spotlight.

Dr. Eli Visbal, an associate professor and theoretical astronomer who led new research proposing the first direct detection of some of the oldest stars in the universe, sits at a computer with hundreds of images of spiral galaxies on the video wall behind him.