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STELLAR SNAP

Nasa’s James Webb Space Telescope captures stunning image of Cartwheel Galaxy with rotating arms

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has snapped high-resolution images of a unique galaxy almost 500million lightyears away.

The new flagship telescope has been fully calibrated for less than a month but already produces awe-inspiring images.

The Cartwheel Galaxy's structure is much more rare than the Milky Way's spiraling arms according to Nasa
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The Cartwheel Galaxy's structure is much more rare than the Milky Way's spiraling arms according to NasaCredit: The Mega Agency
The James Webb Space Telescope launched in December 2021 and spent more than six months adjusted to the harsh environment of space
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The James Webb Space Telescope launched in December 2021 and spent more than six months adjusted to the harsh environment of spaceCredit: Getty Images - Getty

The James Webb Space Telescope's recent snapshots are the clearest images of the distance Cartwheel Galaxy to date.

The Cartwheel Galaxy took on its magnificent shape when a larger spiral galaxy collided with a smaller galaxy about 400million years ago, Nasa reports.

The high-speed, high-impact collision gave the Cartwheel Galaxy its concentric and spoked look.

In previous captures by the Hubble Telescope, the spokes of the Cartwheel Galaxy were visible, but not with the sharpness and clarity the JWST delivers.

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"These brilliant red hues, located not only throughout the Cartwheel, but also the companion spiral galaxy at the top left, are caused by glowing, hydrocarbon-rich dust," Nasa researchers wrote.

The image is a composite of the work of two different cameras onboard the JWST, the Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) and the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI).

The NIRCam is capable of capturing "pictures of very faint objects around a central bright object," the official James Webb Space Telescope site explains.

Meanwhile, MIRI captures wavelengths longer than our eyes can see - the overlay of the two creates the amazing image circulating today.

The first images captured by the James Webb were published in a landmark event that drew the attention of world leaders and astronomers.

Vice President Kamala Harris said the James Webb Space Telescope "will enhance what we know about the origins of our universe, our solar system, and possibly life itself," as the first calibrated images were released to the public on July 11.

French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted "We watch the dawn of our universe! What pride that France participates in the success of the James-Webb telescope!"

Famed scientist and educator Bill Nye added "We're peering into deep space and deep time and will discover something yet unimagined."

Read More on The US Sun

The James Webb Space Telescope is a project more than 20 years in the making.

Deep space imaging will help humans unravel the mysteries of the universe for years to come.

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