Furthest individual star ever spotted is 28 billion lt-yrs away. Not 9.
The furthest individual star ever spotted is MACS J1149+2223 Lensed Star 1, also known as Icarus. It is located approximately 9 billion light-years away, making it the most distant individual star ever detected.
This star is remarkable because it is only visible due to a quirk of nature, where its light is magnified by the gravity of a massive galaxy cluster, located about 5 billion light-years from Earth. Without this gravitational lensing effect, the star would be too faint to be detected.
Key Facts:
Name: MACS J1149+2223 Lensed Star 1 (Icarus)
Distance: Approximately 9 billion light-years away
Type: Individual star
Magnification: Magnified by the gravity of a massive galaxy cluster.