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We present JWST/NIRSpec prism spectroscopy of MACS0647−JD, a triply lensed z ∼ 11 candidate discovered in Hubble Space Telescope imaging and spatially resolved by JWST imaging into two components, A and B. Spectroscopy of component A yields a spectroscopic redshift z = 10.17 based on seven detected emission lines: C iii ] λ λ 1907, 1909, [O ii ] λ 3727, [Ne iii ] λ 3869, [Ne iii ] λ 3968, H δ λ 4101, H γ λ 4340, and [O iii ] λ 4363. These are the second-most distant detections of these emission lines to date, in a galaxy observed just 460 million years after the Big Bang. Based on observed and extrapolated line flux ratios we derive a gas-phase metallicity 12 + log(O/H) ∼ 7.5–8.0, or Z ∼ (0.06–0.2) Z _⊙ , ionization parameter $\mathrm{log}(U)$ = −1.9 ± 0.2, and an ionizing photon production efficiency $\mathrm{log}({\xi }_{\mathrm{ion}})=25.2\pm 0.2\,$ erg ^−1 Hz. The spectrum has a softened Ly α break, evidence for a strong Ly α damping wing. The Ly α damping wing also suppresses the F150W photometry, explaining the slightly overestimated photometric redshift z = 10.6 ± 0.3. MACS0647−JD has a stellar mass log( M / M _⊙ ) = 8.1 ± 0.3, including ∼6 × 10 ^7 M _⊙ in component A, most of which formed recently (within ∼20 Myr) with a star formation rate ∼ 2 ± 1 M _⊙ yr ^−1 , all within an effective radius 70 ± 24 pc. Spectroscopy of a fainter companion galaxy C separated by a distance of ∼ 3 kpc reveals a Lyman break consistent with z ∼ 10.17. MACS0647−JD is likely the most distant galaxy merger known.

Star cluster formation in the early universe and its contribution to reionization remains largely unconstrained to date. Here we present JWST/NIRCam imaging of the most highly magnified galaxy known at z ∼ 6, the Sunrise arc. We identify six young massive star clusters (YMCs) with measured radii spanning from ∼20 down to ∼1 pc (corrected for lensing magnification), estimated stellar masses of ∼10 ^6–7 M _⊙ , and ages of 1–30 Myr based on SED fitting to photometry measured in eight filters extending to rest frame 7000 Å. The resulting stellar mass surface densities are higher than 1000 M _⊙ pc ^−2 (up to a few 10 ^5 M _⊙ pc ^−2 ), and their inferred dynamical ages qualify the majority of these systems as gravitationally bound stellar clusters. The star cluster ages map the progression of star formation along the arc, with two evolved systems (≳10 Myr old) followed by very young clusters. The youngest stellar clusters (1000 Å rest frame and are hosted in a 200 pc sized star-forming complex. Such a region dominates the ionizing photon production with a high efficiency $\mathrm{log}({\xi }_{\mathrm{ion}}[\mathrm{Hz}\,{\mathrm{erg}}^{-1}])\sim 25.7$ . A significant fraction of the recently formed stellar mass of the galaxy (10%–30%) occurred in these YMCs. We speculate that such sources of ionizing radiation boost the ionizing photon production efficiency, which eventually carves ionized channels that might favor the escape of Lyman continuum radiation. The survival of some of the clusters would make them the progenitors of massive and relatively metal-poor globular clusters in the local universe.

We study the spatially resolved stellar populations of 444 galaxies at 0.3 < z < 6.0 in two clusters (WHL 0137–08 and MACS 0647+70) and a blank field, combining imaging data from the Hubble Space Telescope and JWST to perform spatially resolved spectral energy distribution (SED) modeling using piXedfit . The high spatial resolution of the imaging data combined with magnification from gravitational lensing in the cluster fields allows us to resolve a large fraction of our galaxies (109) to subkiloparsec scales. At redshifts around cosmic noon and higher (2.5 ≲ z ≲ 6.0), we find mass-doubling times to be independent of radius, inferred from flat specific star formation rate (sSFR) radial profiles and similarities between the half-mass and half-SFR radii. At lower redshifts (1.5 ≲ z ≲ 2.5), a significant fraction of our star-forming galaxies shows evidence for nuclear starbursts, inferred from a centrally elevated sSFR and a much smaller half-SFR radius compared to the half-mass radius. At later epochs, we find more galaxies suppress star formation in their centers but are still actively forming stars in the disk. Overall, these trends point toward a picture of inside-out galaxy growth consistent with theoretical models and simulations. We also observe a tight relationship between the central mass surface density and global stellar mass with ∼0.38 dex scatter. Our analysis demonstrates the potential of spatially resolved SED analysis with JWST data. Future analysis with larger samples will be able to further explore the assembly of galaxy mass and the growth of their structures.