NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has unveiled a stunning 3D visualization of 5,000 galaxies, providing a glimpse into the vast cosmic expanse.
The visualization, part of the Cosmic Evolution Early Release Science (CEERS) Survey, takes viewers on a journey through nearby galaxies to those in the far reaches of the universe, including one that has never been seen before by the telescope.
The area highlighted in the visualization represents a small portion of the Extended Groth Strip, which the Hubble Space Telescope initially observed. Although this region contains around 100,000 galaxies, the visualization specifically focuses on approximately 5,000 galaxies.
It starts with the closest and most intricate galaxies located within a few billion light-years of Earth before it gradually moves towards galaxies farther away, providing insights into the various stages of the universe's evolution.
Maisie's Galaxy
One particular galaxy of great interest to astronomers is Maisie's Galaxy, the farthest galaxy depicted in the visualization. This galaxy formed roughly 390 million years after the big bang and holds significance as one of the earliest distant galaxies discovered by the James Webb Space Telescope.
Maisie's Galaxy stands as a remarkable example of an early galaxy that can only be observed by Webb's ability to capture infrared wavelengths. Rebecca Larson, one of the investigators of the CEERS survey, expressed excitement about the newfound ability to study galaxies like Maisie's.
Previously, these galaxies were beyond human's reach, but now Webb's instruments enable astronomers not only to detect them in images but also to understand their composition and potential differences from nearby galaxies.
Steven Finkelstein, the principal investigator of the CEERS program, expressed his enthusiasm for the surprising number of galaxies found in the early universe, surpassing expectations.
Webb's capacity to conduct such surveys exceeds expectations and provides valuable references for astronomers in future observations.
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Early Galaxies
The visualization showcases the remarkable capabilities of Webb and highlights how it builds upon the achievements of the Hubble Space Telescope.
By combining Hubble's observations with Webb's data from the CEERS Survey, researchers can distinguish between truly distant early-universe galaxies and nearby galaxies obscured by dust. Researchers are now focused on investigating the process of star formation in these early galaxies.
The data obtained by the James Webb Space Telescope raises significant inquiries regarding the mechanisms of star formation and the potential variations in star characteristics. To uncover these answers, scientists eagerly anticipate the acquisition of additional data from Webb and future observations.
"We're used to thinking of galaxies as smoothly growing," Finkelstein said in a statement. "But maybe these stars are forming like firecrackers. Are these galaxies forming more stars than expected? Are the stars they're making more massive than we expect? These data have given us the information to ask these questions. Now, we need more data to get those answers."
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