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Ellie Abraham
Jul 12, 2022
'Mystery rocket' creates crater on Moon, leaves Nasa scientists baffled
NASA
NASA has released the first colour images taken from the powerful James Webb Space Telescope, giving us a never before seen glimpse at the universe.
The space agency’s Webb telescope was launched on Christmas Day last year and now, the first full-colour images from the biggest telescope ever launched into space have come back.
According to NASA, the first image, released by President Joe Biden, has captured the “deepest and sharpest infrared image of the early universe ever taken”.
NASA explained: “Known as Webb’s First Deep Field, this image of galaxy cluster SMACS 0723 is overflowing with detail.
“Thousands of galaxies – including the faintest objects ever observed in the infrared – have appeared in Webb’s view for the first time.
“This slice of the vast universe covers a patch of sky approximately the size of a grain of sand held at arm’s length by someone on the ground.”
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\u201c\ud83d\udc40 Sneak a peek at the deepest & sharpest infrared image of the early universe ever taken \u2014 all in a day\u2019s work for the Webb telescope. (Literally, capturing it took less than a day!) This is Webb\u2019s first image released as we begin to #UnfoldTheUniverse: https://t.co/tlougFWg8B\u201d— NASA Webb Telescope (@NASA Webb Telescope) 1657578175
The Webb telescope was launched by NASA in collaboration with the ESA (European Space Agency) and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) and space enthusiasts are excited.
Cosmologist Rami Mandow put it into perspective with a visual, writing: “How small is the #JWST field in that amazing image?
“We heard ‘like a grain of sand, at arms length’ …. Here’s what that looks like!
“It’s tiny when compared to even some nearby galaxies. Imagine all the sky covered in galaxies!”
\u201cHow small is the #JWST field in that amazing image? \n\nWe heard \u201clike a grain of sand, at arms length\u201d \u2026. \n\nHere\u2019s what that looks like! \n\nIt\u2019s tiny when compared to even some nearby galaxies. Imagine all the sky covered in galaxies! \n\nCredit: https://t.co/Q3jYzdYkN0\u201d— Rami Mandow \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08 (@Rami Mandow \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08) 1657590612
Another Twitter user made a before and after comparing the quality of images previous available, showing the stark difference in the level of detail seen.
\u201cHere is a closeup:\u201d— Jason Short (@Jason Short) 1657579508
More images are due to be released today (12 July) and NASA is set to hold a televised broadcast from its Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
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