Nasa reveals stunning photo of ‘crashing galaxies’ – and we’re seeing 270million years back in time
A STUNNING new image captured by the James Webb Space Telescope shows two galaxies “plunging headlong into each other”.
The spectacular event is known as a “galaxy merger” – creating a dazzling display of star formation.
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Astronomers say a “frenzied” process of star creation has begun as a result of the merger.
New stars are being formed around 20 times faster than in the Milky Way galaxy, scientists say.
These merging galaxies may even be in the early stages of forming a supermassive black hole
It’s a major astrophotography coup so early on in the James Webb Space Telescope’s life, given that it only launched in December last year.
The images were revealed as part of the joint JWST partnership, which includes Nasa, the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).
“A thick band of dust has blocked these valuable insights from the view of telescopes like Hubble,” said the ESA.
“However, Webb’s infrared sensitivity and its impressive resolution at those wavelengths allows it to see past the dust and has resulted in the spectacular image above.
“The two galaxies in IC 1623 are plunging headlong into one another in a process known as a galaxy merger.”
The pair of galaxies are in the constellation of Cetus.
And they’re a mind-boggling 270million light-years from Earth.
That means it has taken around 270million years for the light to travel to the James Webb Space Telescope.
So the state in which we’re seeing these galaxies is as they were all that time ago. Yes, we’re seeing back in time.
Thankfully the JWST has captured them a particularly exciting time.
“The ongoing, extreme starburst causes intense infrared emission,” the ESA explained.
“And the merging galaxies may well be in the process of forming a supermassive black hole.”
Scientists say that the core of the galaxy merger is exceptionally bright and compact.
We can even see an eight-pronged “snowflake-like” set of diffraction spikes poking out of the galaxy.
They’re created by the starlight interacting with the physical structure of the telescope, and is more noticeable due to the brightness of the galaxy merger.
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