President Biden unveiled the first color science image from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope on Monday, showing off the power of the new observatory with one of the deepest images of the universe ever taken. Why it matters: This long-awaited milestone will set the stage for the rest of the $10 billion telescope’s mission to rework our understanding of how the universe evolved from the first galaxies to the present day. Leading the news: The photo shows a cluster of galaxies so massive that it distorts the light of other galaxies behind it, acting as a magnifying glass in space and allowing JWST to see distant, faint galaxies much further away, according to NASA.
“This slice of the vast universe covers a patch of sky about the size of a grain of sand held at arm’s length by someone on the ground,” the space agency wrote in an image description. On Tuesday, NASA is set to reveal the rest of the first JWST images at 10:30 a.m. ET. ET. You can watch the announcement live on NASA TV starting at 9:45 a.m. ET.
What they say: “You’re seeing galaxies shining around other galaxies whose light has been bent, and you’re only seeing a tiny, tiny part of the universe,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said alongside Biden and Vice President Kamala. Harris on Monday.
“These images will remind the world that America can do great things,” Biden said. “We are now entering a new phase of scientific discovery. Building on Hubble’s legacy, the James Webb Space Telescope allows us to see deeper into space than ever before and with stunning clarity,” added Harris. “It will enhance what we know about the origins of our universe, our solar system and possibly life itself.”
Between the lines: This first deep-field photo comes from a long series of images like the one taken by the Hubble Space Telescope.
Hubble’s first deep field was created when astronomers pointed the space observatory at a seemingly unremarkable patch of sky in 1995.
The image — taken over 10 days — was full of galaxies, some of which formed when the universe was only 500 million years old. Since then, astronomers have continued to use Hubble to take deep pictures of the universe, revealing even more galaxies light-years away.
The big picture: Now, JWST is expected to change everything about how scientists understand the early history of our universe.
Using infrared light, the telescope will be able to cut through cosmic dust and see further into the past than ever before, revealing the first galaxies and stars to form in a fledgling universe.
What to watch: Images to be released by NASA on Tuesday are expected to further expose the wide range of JWST’s science objectives.
The first batch will reveal the fine details of star formation, an exoplanet’s atmosphere, a galaxy cluster and a planetary nebula, according to NASA.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated with additional details after the revelation.
