NASA celebrated the James Webb Space Telescope’s (JWST) two-year anniversary by releasing images of two galaxies in the process of merging, nicknamed the Penguin and the Egg. These galaxies, located 326 million light-years away in the constellation Hydra, are collectively known as Arp 142. The Penguin galaxy (NGC 2936) is a spiral-shaped galaxy resembling a penguin, while the Egg galaxy (NGC 2937) is a compact elliptical-shaped galaxy. The images depict a mix of stars and gas amid their merger, suggesting a penguin guarding its egg.
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This galactic interaction began between 25 and 75 million years ago, and the galaxies are expected to form a single entity in hundreds of millions of years. The JWST, launched in 2021 and operational since 2022, has significantly enhanced our understanding of the early universe by capturing images and data of galaxies and star-forming regions. It has detected some of the earliest-known galaxies, revealing that they are more massive and brighter than previously expected, raising questions about their rapid growth.
Unlike its predecessor, the Hubble Space Telescope, which primarily observes optical and ultraviolet wavelengths, the JWST specializes in capturing infrared light, allowing it to see through dust and gas and study the early universe, exoplanets, and star formation in unprecedented detail. Mark Clampin, the astrophysics division director at NASA, emphasized the transformative impact of JWST and its potential for future discoveries.
