First JWST Images Released
Stunning image of galaxy mergers captured by COSMOS-Web
The James Webb Space Telescope is a highly anticipated astronomical observatory expected to provide a wealth of new information and insights about the universe. The release of these first images from the COSMOS-Web initiative provides a glimpse into the telescope’s capabilities and potential discoveries.
The fact that the images captured about 25,000 galaxies is genuinely remarkable, and it’s impressive that this is just 4 per cent of the data that will be gathered for the full survey. It will be fascinating to see what other discoveries await as more data is collected and analyzed. Overall, this is an exciting development for the field of astronomy and for anyone interested in learning more about the universe we inhabit.
Caitlin Casey, associate professor of astronomy at the University of Texas at Austin and co-principal investigator of COSMOS-Web said, “This first snapshot of COSMOS-Web contains about 25,000 galaxies — an astonishing number larger than even what sits in the Hubble Ultra Deep Field. It’s one of the largest JWST images taken so far. And yet it’s just 4 per cent of the data we will get for the full survey. When it is finished, this deep field will be astoundingly large and overwhelmingly beautiful.”
“Huzzah! First images from @NASAWebb’s largest year-1 program (COSMOS-Web) show dazzling spiral galaxies, gravitational lenses, and galaxy mergers,” wrote the official Twitter page of the College of Natural Sciences as they shared the pictures.
