COLUMBUS, Ohio — We are getting a deeper look into space than ever before.
This week, NASA released the first images from the James Webb Space Telescope’s (JWST) infrared imaging.
Dr. Dan Coe is an astronomer at the Space Telescope Science Institute. He wrote much of the user manual for the Near Infrared Camera (NIRCam).
"With the infrared wavelength you can see through the dust to see where stars are being born," he said. "You can also see more distant things because the light has been stretched by the expansion of the universe.”
Already the JWST has produced the deepest and sharpest infrared image of the distant universe. Scientists are able to see galaxies 13 billion years back in time.
“This is only the beginning,” Coe said. “There’s hundreds of other science programs that are going to be observed even in the first year. Looking at smaller planets, earth-sized planets around stars. Looking for signs of life.”
The JWST launched into space on Dec. 25, 2021. Coe says it will work to compliment the images of the Hubble Space Telescope. Hubble was launched in 1990 and still orbits around earth.
“This is a once in a generation type of thing,” he said. “Similar to when Hubble was first launched. We see all these beautiful pictures that everybody loves. This is for the next generation.”
If you want to follow the JWST images as they come out you can go to NASA.gov/webb or follow the telescope @NASAWebb on Twitter.