Latest news with #JWST
Economic Times
3 hours ago
- Science
- Economic Times
New York to Los Angeles in just 3 hours? Supersonic travel may be back sooner than you think, as early as 2027
The James Webb Space Telescope has captured one of the most distant galaxies ever detected, dating back over 13 billion years. This discovery gives a rare glimpse into the universe's infancy, depicting how the first stars and galaxies formed. Using advanced infrared technology, Webb is enabling scientists to piece together the early history of the cosmos and reveal the processes shaping it. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads How Webb Achieves the Impossible Why This Discovery Matters What Comes Next? Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads FAQs: The James Webb Space Telescope JWST ) has once again amazed scientists by capturing an image of a galaxy so distant that its light has traveled over 13 billion years to reach Earth. The newly identified galaxy is thought to date back to just a few hundred million years just after the Big Bang a period when the initial stars and galaxies were starting to take astronomers, this is more than a stunning picture; it's a rare opportunity to witness the early stages of the snapshots in time help to explain how cosmic structures evolved from simple clouds of gas into the rich, star filled systems we see the Hubble Space Telescope, Webb made use of advanced infrared technology , which enabled it to see through clouds of space dust and detect even extremely faint light from the distant past. This technology is significant for spotting out galaxies at extreme distances, where light has been stretched or 'redshifted' by the expansion of the universe. By combining long observation times with precision optics, Webb can find out the details that are invisible to any other telescope in such old galaxies helps scientists to get to know how rapidly stars were formed, what elements were present, and how massive black holes grew up so fast in the early universe. Every new observation adds to the information of cosmic history and enables them to refine scientific models. NASA and its international partners' plans to use Future Webb missions that will target even fainter and older galaxies, pushing the boundaries of what's observable. Scientists also look forward to studying the atmospheres of exoplanets, map distant galaxy clusters, investigate the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy as just over a year, the James Webb Space Telescope has already transformed our knowledge of the cosmos. This recent find is proof that we now have the technology to go back to the universe's earliest moments and perhaps reveal secrets that have been hidden for over 13 billion years.A1. The James Webb Space Telescope is a powerful infrared observatory made to study the universe's earliest moments and distant celestial objects.A2. It was launched on December 25, 2021, as a collaboration between NASA, ESA, and CSA.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Science
- Time of India
New York to Los Angeles in just 3 hours? Supersonic travel may be back sooner than you think, as early as 2027
The James Webb Space Telescope ( JWST ) has once again amazed scientists by capturing an image of a galaxy so distant that its light has traveled over 13 billion years to reach Earth. The newly identified galaxy is thought to date back to just a few hundred million years just after the Big Bang a period when the initial stars and galaxies were starting to take shape. For astronomers, this is more than a stunning picture; it's a rare opportunity to witness the early stages of the snapshots in time help to explain how cosmic structures evolved from simple clouds of gas into the rich, star filled systems we see today. Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass Batch-1 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 2 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 3 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals By Vaibhav Sisinity View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass - Batch 4 By CA Himanshu Jain View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals Batch 2 By Ansh Mehra View Program How Webb Achieves the Impossible Unlike the Hubble Space Telescope, Webb made use of advanced infrared technology , which enabled it to see through clouds of space dust and detect even extremely faint light from the distant past. This technology is significant for spotting out galaxies at extreme distances, where light has been stretched or 'redshifted' by the expansion of the universe. By combining long observation times with precision optics, Webb can find out the details that are invisible to any other telescope in operation. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Become Fluent in Any Language Talkpal AI Sign Up Undo Why This Discovery Matters Studying such old galaxies helps scientists to get to know how rapidly stars were formed, what elements were present, and how massive black holes grew up so fast in the early universe. Every new observation adds to the information of cosmic history and enables them to refine scientific models. What Comes Next? NASA and its international partners' plans to use Future Webb missions that will target even fainter and older galaxies, pushing the boundaries of what's observable. Scientists also look forward to studying the atmospheres of exoplanets, map distant galaxy clusters, investigate the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy as well. Live Events In just over a year, the James Webb Space Telescope has already transformed our knowledge of the cosmos. This recent find is proof that we now have the technology to go back to the universe's earliest moments and perhaps reveal secrets that have been hidden for over 13 billion years. FAQs: Q1. What is the James Webb Space Telescope? A1. The James Webb Space Telescope is a powerful infrared observatory made to study the universe's earliest moments and distant celestial objects. Q2. When was the James Webb Space Telescope launched? A2. It was launched on December 25, 2021, as a collaboration between NASA, ESA, and CSA.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Science
- Yahoo
James Webb telescope captures one of the deepest-ever views of the universe — Space photo of the week
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Quick facts What it is: The Hubble Ultra Deep Field, revisited by the James Webb Space Telescope Where it is: Close to the Big Dipper in the night sky When it was shared: Aug. 1, 2025 The James Webb Space Telescope's (JWST) latest extragalactic survey has revealed fainter and more distant objects than ever before, some dating back to the earliest periods of the universe. But it stands on the shoulders of a giant: When NASA published the Hubble Ultra Deep Field image in 2004, it stunned the world of astronomy. A composite of 800 images from exposures totaling 11 days, the deep image of an otherwise unremarkable part of the night sky revealed nearly 10,000 galaxies, many among the most distant known. Now, JWST has observed that same patch of sky with different eyes — and found 2,500 more objects. Crucially, they're even more distant. JWST's new take on the Hubble Ultra Deep Field, named the MIRI Deep Imaging Survey (MIDIS), is the deepest-ever mid-infrared image of that part of the night sky. The extraordinary new image is the result of nearly 100 hours of observing time using the space observatory's Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) and Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam). It includes hundreds of extremely red galaxies, some of which may date back to less than a billion years after the Big Bang. Related: 42 jaw-dropping James Webb Space Telescope images At the core of the composite image is one ultralong exposure. Using just one of MIRI's filters, JWST took an exposure of the night sky for 41 hours — the longest single-filter observation it has performed of an extragalactic field to date. The plan was to capture galaxies in mid-infrared light — something neither Hubble nor human eyes can detect — which also revealed previously unseen regions of dust and old, red stars. More space photos —NASA unveils 9 stunning snapshots of the cosmos in X-ray vision —Astronomers witness a newborn planet emerging from the dust around a sun-like star —'Fighting dragons' light up little-known constellation in the Southern sky Capturing light in wavelengths beyond the capabilities of human vision always brings a problem: How can we even begin to look at it? Processing such images requires filters that assign a different color to each different wavelength of light. In this image, galaxies rich in dust and star-forming activity are orange and red, extremely distant compact galaxies are greenish, and galaxies bright in the near-infrared are blue and cyan. Researchers described the image in a paper in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics, along with a slider tool, a pan video and a transition video with the Hubble Ultra Deep Field for comparison. For more sublime space images, check out our Space Photo of the Week archives. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
a day ago
- Science
- Yahoo
'The most significant JWST finding to date': James Webb spots — then loses — a giant planet orbiting in the habitable zone of our closest sun-like star
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. There might be a huge planet lurking near one of the closest stars to Earth. NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has imaged a possible planet near Alpha Centauri A, a sun-like star that forms part of the triplet Alpha Centauri star group. The mini-cluster is just four light-years from Earth and is a rich ground for astronomers to learn about other star systems. But there's a catch: JWST only spotted the supposed Saturn-size world once — in August 2024 — and two more tries in 2025 came up empty. "We are faced with the case of a disappearing planet," study co-lead author Aniket Sanghi, a doctoral student at Caltech, said in a statement. Astronomers aren't giving up yet. The research team said the planet may have moved in its orbit into the glare of the star — making it temporarily invisible to JWST. "This is a plausible explanation," Stanimir Metchev, Canada Research Chair in Extrasolar Planets at Western University in Ontario, told Live Science via email. Metchev was not involved in the research. "[It] comes with a strict prediction that the planet should again be visible in 2026 or 2027. These follow-up observations will be key for confirming this planet," Metchev added. But assuming the planet is there, "it would be the most significant JWST discovery to date." Related: 'The early universe is nothing like we expected': James Webb telescope reveals 'new understanding' of how galaxies formed at cosmic dawn If confirmed, the planet would be the closest world to Earth that orbits in the habitable zone of a star — the area around a star where water could exist in liquid form, on the rocky surface of an Earth-size world. The newfound Saturn-size exoplanet, however, is likely too large for life as we know it. The purported planet would also be the closest planet to its star ever imaged directly, as it orbits at twice the equivalent distance between Earth and the sun. But none of this is a slam-dunk yet. "The signal is at the limit of what contrast-enhancement techniques applied to JWST images can deliver," Metchev said. "The authors go through a painstaking and believable analysis, but nonetheless any direct image of an exoplanet — especially one with such potential significance — will require an independent confirmation." The Alpha Centauri system is made up of three stars: the sun-like stars Alpha Centauri A and Alpha Centauri B, and a fainter red dwarf called Proxima Centauri. Astronomers have already confirmed three planets circling Proxima Centauri. JWST used its Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) for the observations.. Planet-hunting in Alpha Centauri required a custom observing sequence. A coronagraphic mask was also used to block out the light of Alpha Centauri A, enabling JWST to image much fainter planets orbiting nearby. RELATED STORIES — Will we ever reach Alpha Centauri, our closest neighboring star system? — 4 tiny, Earth-like planets found circling 2nd-closest star system to us — and could be visited by future human generations — Proposed spacecraft could carry up to 2,400 people on a one-way trip to the nearest star system, Alpha Centauri "Their extra effort paid off spectacularly," study lead co-author Charles Beichman, executive director of the NASA Exoplanet Science Institute at Caltech, said in the statement. "These are incredibly challenging observations to make, even with the world's most powerful space telescope, because these stars are so bright, close, and move across the sky quickly," Beichman added. In the meantime, the research team hinted more planet-hunting may be coming: "The next closest sun-like star, Tau Ceti [about 12 light-years from Earth], will be much harder even with Webb," Beichman said. NASA"s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which will launch as soon as May 2027, will also be used to search for new worlds. Solve the daily Crossword
NDTV
2 days ago
- Science
- NDTV
Biggest-Ever Black Hole With Mass Of 36 Billion Suns Discovered: 'Cosmic Behemoth'
Scientists may have discovered the biggest black hole ever that holds a mass equivalent to that of 36 billion suns. This supermassive black hole is located five billion light-years away from Earth and sits at the centre of a giant galaxy in the Cosmic Horseshoe system, named for its striking horseshoe-shaped ring of light formed by gravitational lensing. The gigantic black hole's size is close to the theoretical upper limit of what is possible in the universe. It is 10,000 times heavier than the black hole at the centre of our own Milky Way galaxy, Sagittarius A*, which holds a mass of 4.15 million suns. "This is amongst the top 10 most massive black holes ever discovered, and quite possibly the most massive," said Thomas Collett, study author and a professor at the University of Portsmouth in England. 'Most of the other black hole mass measurements are indirect and have quite large uncertainties, so we really don't know for sure which is biggest. However, we've got much more certainty about the mass of this black hole thanks to our new method.' Researchers managed to find the 'cosmic behemoth' using a combination of gravitational lensing and stellar kinematics (the study of the motion of stars within galaxies and the speed and way they move around black holes). Despite being massive in size, the newly-discovered black hole has been dubbed a "dormant" black hole, meaning it is not actively swallowing matter in its surroundings. Notably, Sagittarius A* is also a dormant black hole. Supermassive black holes Scientists are of the view that every galaxy in the universe has a supermassive black hole at its centre and that bigger galaxies host bigger ones, known as supermassive black holes. Current theories surmise that supermassive black holes evolve from initial "seeds" formed either through the collapse of the universe's first stars (light seeds) or by direct gas cloud collapse (heavy seeds). However, these theories have lacked substantial observational backing so far. In November last year, scientists discovered a supermassive black hole, devouring matter at a phenomenal rate -- over 40 times the theoretical limit, called the Eddington limit. Named LID-568, the black hole was discovered using data from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and Chandra X-ray Observatory. The black hole's hunger to consume matter challenged the existing models by suggesting that these bodies are capable of exceeding the Eddington limits.
