NASA and the European and Canadian space agencies are celebrating second anniversary since the James Webb Space Telescope began sending back images. And since capturing the distant universe is its main mission, the image of the “Penguin” and “Egg” galaxies was chosen for this anniversary.

James Webb continues to provide us with the best images to be obtained of the Cosmos from its privileged position, a precise transfer orbit at the second Lagrange point (L2) between the Earth and the Sun. Launched in December 2021 after numerous delays and cost increases, it only started sending the first images in July 2022.

Unlike HST and most ground-based telescopes, it does not study the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum, but rather to observe space in the near and mid-infrared region, at wavelengths longer than visible light, which together with its impressive size (the 6.5-meter primary mirror is almost three times that of HST) allows for truly impressive images. Like the ‘Pillars of Creation’, which he conceived in unprecedented detail.

Second (scientific) anniversary of James Webb

NASA is talking about “scientific anniversary” telescope to distinguish it from its launch date and celebrate the reception of its first images. To celebrate this anniversary, two interacting galaxies known collectively as Arp 142, located 326 million light-years from Earth, were selected.

These are the galaxies NGC 2936 and NGC 2937. Nicknamed ‘Penguin’ and ‘Egg’, is a feature observable in the direction of the constellation Hydra, and have been engaged in a celestial dance since they first interacted between 25 and 75 million years ago. The “penguin” is disturbed by the gravity of the “egg” and has since been causing new stars to form at a colossal rate. It is thought to form between 100 and 200 stars per year, while our Milky Way produces only six to seven new stars per year.

In the image taken by James Webb and selected for the second anniversary, the interaction between the two galaxies is marked by a faintly glowing inverted U. Although Penguin appears larger than the Egg galaxy, they are about the same mass. And that’s why they haven’t connected yet.. They will continue to oscillate and wobble, completing several more loops before merging into a single galaxy in hundreds of millions of years.

In addition to the galaxies that appear prominently in the foreground, other more distant galaxies are also visible in the background. Space agencies say it is a “Proof of sensitivity and resolution of Webb infrared cameras”. NASA has posted comparison images of the Hubble and Webb shots, videos that recreate their motion, and other information on this website.