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Webb telescope reveals clearest infrared image of early universe
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Look up!: Pictured is the first infrared image from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), obtained on Monday. (AFP/NASA/Handout)
T
he James Webb Space Telescope, the most powerful observatory to be placed in orbit, has revealed the "deepest and sharpest infrared image of the early universe" ever taken, going back 13 billion years, NASA said on Monday.
The stunning shot, revealed in a White House briefing by United States President Joe Biden, is overflowing with thousands of galaxies and features the faintest objects ever observed, colorized from infrared to blue, orange and white tones.
"This telescope is one of humanity's great engineering achievements," he said.
Known as Webb's First Deep Field, it shows the galaxy cluster SMACS 0723, which acts as a gravitational lens, magnifying much more distant galaxies behind it.
Webb's primary imager NIRCam -- which operates in the near-infrared-wavelength spectrum because light from the early universe has been stretched out by the time it reaches us -- has brought these faint background galaxies into sharp focus.
Webb compiled the composite shot in 12.5 hours, achieving well beyond what the Hubble Space Telescope could in weeks.
A new set of images was recently released on Tuesday.
