NASA released what it described as the highest infrared image of the universe ever taken on Monday, offering a clear picture of some of the first galaxies captured by the $ 10 billion James Webb Space Telescope.
NASA revealed infrared images during the event at the White House and plans to release more photos of the first James Webb Space Telescope. The photo shows thousands of galaxies in the SMACS 0723 cluster — which occupies a small piece of the universe — from about 4.6 billion years ago, NASA said.
The James Webb Space Telescope was launched in December and soon began orbiting the Sun about 1 million miles from Earth. Built-in collaboration with the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency, Webb is the largest and most advanced satellite telescope ever made by NASA, and scientists expect it to offer unparalleled infrared views of the early universe — and a possible indication of whether other distant planets can sustain life.