The James Webb Space Telescope has captured a stunning new view of two galaxies, dubbed Penguin and Eggamid a cosmic dance that marks the observatory’s second anniversary.
Launched on December 25, 2021, the Webb Telescope shared its first scientific observations of the universe on July 12, 2022. Since then, it has offered unprecedented perspectives on the cosmos in wavelengths of infrared light, which is invisible to the human eye.
Webb’s keen eye was able to see through gas and dust that would normally be obscured to locate distant galaxies, detect molecules in the atmospheres of exoplanets, and highlight subtle details in exploding stars.
“With remarkable images of the corners of the cosmos dating back almost to the beginning of time, Webb’s capabilities are shedding new light on our celestial surroundings and inspiring future generations of scientists, astronomers and explorers,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, in a statement.
And now, Webb has used his scientific instruments to create a detailed portrait of the entwined Penguin and Egg galaxies, collectively called Arp 142, by combining observations in near-infrared and mid-infrared light.
The galaxies, so named because of their resemblance to a penguin guarding an egg, are 326 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Hydra.
A tale of two galaxies
Webb’s Near Infrared Camera and Mid-Infrared Instrument reveal a blue haze, representing a mix of stars and gas, that shows how the two galaxies are joined together.
They are about 100,000 light years away, which is close, astronomically speaking. For reference, the Milky Way’s closest neighbor is the Andromeda galaxy, 2.5 million light-years away, and these two are expected to collide in about 4 billion years. A light year, the distance light travels in one year, is 9.46 trillion kilometers.
Astronomers estimate that the Penguin and Egg galaxies first interacted between 25 million and 75 million years ago. Since then, their celestial dance continues as they spin around each other. Millions of years from now, they will merge into a single galaxy.
The Hubble Space Telescope captured the galactic duo in 2013 in visible light, seen on the left in the slider below, but Webb’s image captures details never before seen through infrared.
Initially, the Penguin looked like a spiral, but over time, its appearance was reshaped through interactions with the Egg galaxy. Now, the center of the galaxy serves as the Penguin’s eye, and its spiral arms have been unfurled to resemble a beak, head, backbone and fan tail.
The dance between the two galaxies exerted a gravitational pull on parts of the Penguin, causing parts of the gas and dust filling the galaxy to collide and lead to waves of star formation. These stellar nurseries can be seen as feathers on the Penguin’s tail and what resembles a fish in its beak.
The smoky material around baby stars contains carbon molecules, while the faint orange represents dust. In the background of the image are distant spiral and oval galaxies.
Meanwhile, the oval-shaped Egg galaxy remains largely the same. Full of aging stars, the galaxy contains less gas and dust than Penguin, so its structure has not been disturbed. And since both galaxies have approximately the same mass, the Penguin did not overtake the Egg.
Astronomers estimate that the Webb Telescope will operate for at least 20 years, providing a unique way to study the universe and solve some of its many mysteries.
“In just two years, Webb transformed our view of the universe, enabling the kind of world-class science that led NASA to make this mission a reality,” said Mark Clampin, director of NASA’s Astrophysics Division, in a statement.
“Webb is providing insights into long-standing mysteries about the early universe and ushering in a new era of studying distant worlds, while returning images that inspire people around the world and raise exciting new questions to be answered. It has never been more possible to explore all facets of the universe,” he added.
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