An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

An early epoch in the → Universe’s history, but after the → recombination epoch, when the → first stars formed and their → ultraviolet light began to ionize the → neutral hydrogen gas that filled the Universe. The epoch of reionization is estimated to last between → redshifts of 12 to 6 (or when the Universe had between 2 and 5% of its age). Reionization marks the end of the → Dark Age in cosmic history.

See also: → reionization; → epoch.