What is 1 billion years in astronomy?

One billion years ago in astronomy, the universe was still young and evolving. The first stars and galaxies were beginning to form, and the universe was still expanding rapidly. The early universe was filled with hydrogen and helium, and no heavier elements had yet been formed.

During this time, the first black holes were also starting to form as massive stars ran out of fuel and collapsed in on themselves. These black holes would go on to shape the evolution of galaxies and play a key role in the formation of structures in the universe.

The cosmic microwave background radiation, which is thought to be the remnant radiation from the Big Bang, was also present at this time. It was first detected in 1964 and has since been studied extensively as a means of understanding the early universe.

Overall, the period of one billion years ago in astronomy represents a critical juncture in the history of the universe, as the foundations for many of the structures and phenomena that we observe today were beginning to form.