The James Webb Space Telescope continues to amaze as it captures newly detailed photos of previously unknown parts of the universe.
The billion-dollar telescope released its first images last month and now has released a new picture of the Cartwheel galaxy located 500 million light-years away.
The galaxy formed when a large spiral galaxy and a small galaxy violently collided. After colliding, they changed shape, creating one that looks almost like a wagon wheel.
NASA shared that scientists have called the galaxy a ring galaxy because of its shape and noted that it is less common than spiral galaxies.
Webb’s new photos of Cartwheel have allowed astronomers and scientists to learn new insights about how stars are formed, stars themselves, and the black hole at the galactic center.
The images show hot dust in the bright inner ring, giant young clusters of stars being formed, and reveal more about how it has evolved in the last billion years.
The images also show two smaller galaxies near Cartwheel.
Before the infrared capabilities of the Webb telescope, astronomers have been left with several mysteries that are now being answered, including some surrounding the structure of the galaxy.
The near-infrared camera and mid-infrared instrument have allowed new data to be collected, answering questions that have long been unanswerable. "Other telescopes, including the Hubble Space Telescope, have previously examined the Cartwheel. But the dramatic galaxy has been shrouded in mystery – perhaps literally, given the amount of dust that obscures the view. Webb, with its ability to detect infrared light, now uncovers new insights into the nature of the Cartwheel," NASA wrote.
More images from the new telescope are expected to be released by NASA in the coming weeks, according to the space agency.
"The galaxy, which was presumably a normal spiral galaxy like the Milky Way before its collision, will continue to transform. While Webb gives us a snapshot of the current state of the Cartwheel, it also provides insight into what happened to this galaxy in the past and how it will evolve in the future," NASA wrote.
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