A “deep field” image is a highly magnified photograph of a tiny section of the sky which reveals the presence of countless galaxies. The Webb’s First Deep Field is a photograph of the cosmos taken by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), and it is the best snap of the remote universe that we have yet seen (NASA., n.d.). Because it can see in the infrared, JWST can see through space’s dust and gas that so often block our view, showing us galaxies we have never seen before.
The picture also shows a galaxy cluster called SMACS 0723, which was 4.6 billion years ago. This cluster has a considerable mass, so it bends the light from the galaxies behind almost like a magnifying glass bends the light. The effect is called “gravitational lensing,” making those distant galaxies look more prominent, elongated, or even reflected. Infrared sensitivity gives JWST an edge in showing us these effects more clearly than ever.
The JWST’s image shows only a tiny part of the sky. It looks as small as a grain of sand at arm’s length; that would be the size of the sky area it photographed. In the middle, though, there are thousands of galaxies, some of the faintest in infrared we have ever seen. These images from the JWST have left people amazed. They give us an incredible, crystal-clear snapshot of the universe as it looked billions of years ago. Dr Jane Rigby, a senior JWST scientist, called the view “amazing” and said it’s nothing like what we’ve seen before. These images have sparked wonder and excitement, encouraging astronomers and the public to investigate the mysteries of the cosmos further.
The JWST’s First Deep Field image has opened a new window into the universe, revealing hidden galaxies and phenomena. With their cutting-edge technology, advanced optics can see the cosmos in ways we’ve never seen and colours from a broader spectrum. As we continue to study these deep field images, we will make more and more discoveries about the vast universe to which we belong.
Works Cited
NASA. (n.d.). JWST Position Angles, Ranges, and Offsets.
Cite This Work
To export a reference to this article please select a referencing stye below:
