The buzz among professional astronomers like me has been electric since members of the Webb team shared tantalizing test images. And the real images are even better than anyone could have hoped for.
“for Webb there is no blank sky, everywhere it looks it sees distant galaxies.” Most of those galaxies were invisible until now.
In the background you can see faint red galaxies scattered like rubies across the sky. Those galaxies are even farther away. By measuring precise attributes of their light, astronomers can tell that they formed over 13 billion years ago and even determine the abundance of different elements in these early galaxies.
The James Webb Space Telescope is sensitive enough to not only detect light that passes though the atmospheres of distant planets, but to measure the strength of this light at different wavelengths – as shown here – which can suggest the presence of water or other molecules in an atmosphere.The second reveal was not of an image but a spectrum – a breakdown of the strength of light at different wavelengths.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
President Biden will reveal the first James Webb Space Telescope image at 5PM today | EngadgetNASA has decided to reveal the first James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) image today rather than waiting until tomorrow as planned..
Read more »
Watch President Biden unveil the 1st James Webb Space Telescope science image today!The last-minute reveal will come less than 24 hours before the main image release on Tuesday, July 12.
Read more »
Here’s the first full-color image from NASA’s James Webb Space TelescopeAt last, the observatory makes good on its promise.
Read more »
Behold, the James Webb Space Telescope's First Image!Behold, the James Webb Space Telescope's First Image! universetoday storybywill
Read more »