The powerful James Webb Space Telescope's inaugural batch of images has opened a new chapter of cosmic exploration, but astronomers say the observatory's most consequential discoveries may well be those they have yet to even imagine.
Distant colliding galaxies, gas-giant exoplanets and dying star systems were the first celestial subjects captured by the multibillion-dollar observatory, putting its wide range of infrared-imaging capabilities on colorful display and proving the telescope works as designed.
"Who knows what's coming for JWST. But I'm sure we're going to have a lot of surprises," René Doyon, principal investigator for one of Webb's instruments, the Near-Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph, said Tuesday at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, where the agency unveiled the observatory's first full-color images.
Taken together, dark energy and dark matter are now estimated by scientists to account for 95% of the known universe. All the galaxies, planets, dust, gases and other visible matter in the cosmos compose just 5%.Amber Straughn, a deputy project scientist working with Webb, said: "It's hard to imagine what we might learn with this hundred-times-more-powerful instrument that we really don't know yet.
At least one of the tiny specks of light "photo-bombing" the edge of the picture dates back 13.1 billion years, or nearly 95% of the way to the Big Bang, the theoretical cosmic flashpoint that put the universe in motion 13.8 billion years ago. "The universe has been out there, we just had to build a telescope to see what was there," she added.
France Dernières Nouvelles, France Actualités
Similar News:Vous pouvez également lire des articles d'actualité similaires à celui-ci que nous avons collectés auprès d'autres sources d'information.
The James Webb Space Telescope's first glimpses into deep space reveal 4 mind-blowing findsAfter releasing the deepest image of the universe on July 11, NASA revealed four more groundbreaking finds from the James Webb Space Telescope, including two nebulae, a quintet of galaxies, and water signatures from an exoplanet.
Lire la suite »
First batch of James Webb Space Telescope images and data released by NASANEW: NASA has released a full batch of images and data from the James Webb Space Telescope, providing a first look at the cosmic mysteries that could be untangled in the years ahead by humanity’s most powerful space observatory.
Lire la suite »
NASA Delivers First Batch of Images From James Webb Space TelescopeThe most sophisticated and ambitious space telescope ever built has finally started its science mission.
Lire la suite »
Here’s the first full-color image from NASA’s James Webb Space TelescopeAt last, the observatory makes good on its promise.
Lire la suite »
Biden unveils first full-color photo from NASA's James Webb Space TelescopeThis long-awaited milestone will set the stage for the rest of the $10 billion telescope's mission.
Lire la suite »
The first full-color James Webb Space Telescope photo is hereNEW: First full-color image from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope offers the deepest and highest-resolution infrared view of the universe ever captured.
Lire la suite »