JWST CEERS probes the role of stellar mass and morphology in obscuring galaxies

Understand

In recent years, observations have uncovered a population of massive galaxies that are invisible or very faint in deep optical/near-infrared (near-IR) surveys but brighter at longer wavelengths.

• However, the nature of these optically dark or faint galaxies (OFGs; one of several names given to these objects) is highly uncertain.
• In this work, we investigate the drivers of dust attenuation in the JWST era.
• In particular, we study the role of stellar mass, size, and orientation in obscuring star-forming galaxies (SFGs) at $3 < z < 7.5$, focusing on the question of why OFGs and similar galaxies are so faint at optical/near-IR wavelengths.