NASA and its companions, the European and Canadian house businesses, are celebrating the second 12 months for the reason that James Webb Telescope began sending again images of the universe by releasing a picture of the Penguin and the Egg galaxies. These are interacting galaxies collectively often called Arp 142 situated 326 million light-years from Earth, captured by the James Webb in interactive mild.
The galaxies first interacted between 25 and 75 million years in the past, inflicting new star formation. Based mostly on earlier analysis, 100 to 200 stars have fashioned per 12 months within the Penguin — sure, that’s the galaxy on the heart of the picture that appears like a fowl’s head — whereas the Milky Method solely produces between six and 7 new stars per 12 months. On this picture taken by the James Webb, the interplay between the 2 galaxies is marked by a faintly glowing upside-down U. Take be aware that whereas the Penguin seems greater than the Egg galaxy at its left, they’ve roughly the identical mass. If both galaxy had been smaller, they’d’ve already merged.
Along with the galaxies prominently featured within the picture, you will additionally see extra distant galaxies within the background. The house businesses mentioned it is a “testament to the sensitivity and resolution of Webb’s infrared cameras.” NASA and its companions launched the James Webb Telescope in late 2021 after greater than a decade of delays attributable to spiraling prices and development woes. The businesses launched the primary picture it ever captured, the deepest picture of the distant universe, in July 2022. Final 12 months, in addition they commemorated its first anniversary with a picture of a close-by stellar nursery.
