James Webb Space Telescope captures stunning new image of nearby galaxy; outshines Spitzer

The James Webb Space Telescope is two months away from beginning its operations but it is already exceeding expectations. Recently, the telescope has beamed back fresh images of a nearby galaxy while engineers ready it for making ground-breaking discoveries. According to NASA, the new visuals feature the small satellite galaxy of the Milky Way- the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC)- and the quality of Webb's images far outweighs that of the now-retired Spitzer telescope. 

NASA hopeful about new possibilities for science

(LMC snapped by Spitzer space telescope vs James Webb telescope; Image: NASA)

As Webb beamed back the new pictures, astronomers are excited and are hopeful of new possibilities for science, says NASA. Four months after its launch, Webb is now completely aligned with all of its four instruments which are currently being tested before being fully operational a couple of months later. As for the latest image, it was captured by Webb's coldest instrument- the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI). According to NASA, the stunning visual was obtained after the MIRI instrument easily peered through the dense starfield to make observations in infrared. 

As you can see, the MIRI image offers an unprecedented view into the interstellar cloud including the emission of star-forming gases. Notably, this photograph is a significant achievement as Webb has easily outrun the Spitzer telescope, which NASA calls one of the great observatories since it was the first to provide high-resolution images of the near- and mid-infrared universe.

The agency, however, outlined that Webb has a significantly larger primary mirror and improved detectors, which will allow astronomers to see the infrared sky with improved clarity to make more discoveries. "When Webb is ready to begin science observations, studies such as these with MIRI will help give astronomers new insights into the birth of stars and protoplanetary systems", NASA said in a statement. Meanwhile, the instruments will undergo further testing to make sure that the telescope is ready for its mission.

Launched on December 25, Webb is a result of joint collaboration between NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). Scientists have positioned the telescope at the second Lagrange point which is about 15 lakh kilometres from Earth.