But these galaxies are far larger and more developed than what would be expected in the early days of the universe. If it’s correct, these galaxies would have existed when the universe was around 3pc of its current age, roughly 500m to 700m years after the Big Bang. Through a tiny spot in that image, researchers made a discovery that could shake up our understanding of the early universe.Īstronomers analysing the dataset discovered what appears to be six ancient galaxies. Brammer (Niels Bohr Institute’s Cosmic Dawn Center at the University of Copenhagen).įrom the release of its first image, the Webb telescope gave astronomers vast amounts of data to delve into. Labbe (Swinburne University of Technology). Six candidate galaxies, which are believed to have existed roughly 600m years after the Big Bang. It is hoped that observations made from these type of images can let astronomers see if dust grains are large enough to survive supernova events, which would help explain the current “dust budget surplus”. NASA has said dust is “integral” to the workings of the universe, as it shelters forming stars, clumps together to create planets and eventually helps create the building blocks for life on Earth.īut currently, there is more dust in the universe than astronomers can explain. Webb’s powerful instruments were able to capture this moment in incredible detail, giving a very rare and valuable sight for astronomers.īeing able to observe the cosmic dust created by these types of supernovas is important to astronomers, as it can help shed light on the early points of the universe. The massive star was captured in the Wolf-Rayet phase of its life, the period just before a supernova where the star sheds its outer layers. The image captures the star before it goes supernova, which is when a star explodes at the end of its life cycle and releases a massive cloud of hot gas and space dust into the cosmos. One of the best examples of this is the image of WR 124 – a star on the cusp of its explosive death. The universe is a busy place and Webb has the instruments to see cosmic events just as they’re at their most exciting point. Image: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Webb ERO Production Team Image of the massive star WR 124, shown during the Wolf-Rayet phase of its life. This image was taken using Webb’s near-infrared camera (NIRCam), the observatory’s primary camera that simultaneously images the cosmos in two different infrared ranges. It is also the closest star-forming region to Earth, with many of the young stars being similar in size to our own sun, or smaller. The red dust is molecular hydrogen, while some of the stars have the shadow of a circumstellar disk, which hints at the creation of future planets.ĭespite the cosmic chaos visible in the image, NASA said this is a relatively small and quiet stellar nursery relative to others. This image reveals jets bursting from young stars, with different coloured clouds of cosmic dust colliding into each other. ![]() Pagan (STScI)Ĭelebrating its successful first year, NASA has shared a new image from the James Webb Space Telescope today (12 July), which reveals a small star-forming region in the Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex. A star is born: Our closest stellar nursery To date, there are more than 750 scientific publications that contain “significant” amounts of content from the James Webb Space Telescope, according to the Space Telescope Science Institute.Īstronomers will be peering through the data for decades, while the observatory continues its journey to discover the mysteries of the cosmos.Īs we celebrate a year of cosmic-scale discoveries and wait for the next batch of eye-watering images, let’s take a look at some of the highlights the James Webb Space Telescope has uncovered so far. ![]() The discoveries have grown significantly since then, giving scientists a vast treasure trove of data to sift through. The images are a sight to behold, showing the cosmos in awe-inspiring detail. Only one month after the first images were released, the successor to the Hubble Telescope revealed new insights on how stars form, galaxies merge and the early period of the universe. The images can be so in-depth that the results have been described as a “new age of astronomy”. The advanced tools of this space observatory lets us see further into space than ever before, unlocking new insights into how the universe works. It has been one year since the powerful James Webb Space Telescope revealed its first historic photo of the universe, stunning scientists worldwide with its immense detail. From stars on the cusp of going supernova, cosmic tarantulas and record-breaking space smoke, the James Webb Space Telescope has spotted many amazing sights in the distant cosmos.
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