Nasa's Webb Telescope Reveals Collision-created Galaxy Secrets

WHO:

NASA - The organization responsible for the James Webb Space Telescope.

WHAT:

Live Science - The James Webb Space Telescope conducted the largest-ever survey of the universe, revealing how galaxies have evolved since the universe's infancy around 13 billion years ago.

Live Science - The survey, named COSMOS-Web, is a 255-hour program covering an area of the sky about the size of three full moons.

Live Science - The catalog used to build the map of the cosmic web includes 164,000 galaxies and is publicly available.

NASA - New images from the James Webb Space Telescope reveal the galaxy Centaurus A, showing it to be richer and more complex than previously seen.

Phys.org - The images demonstrate a densely packed tapestry of individual stars and an active, ever-changing galaxy.

NASA - The images celebrate four years of successful science operations for the James Webb Space Telescope.

WHERE:

NASA - The observations focus on the galaxy Centaurus A.

WHEN:

NASA - The images were released to celebrate the fourth science anniversary of the James Webb Space Telescope.

WHY:

Live Science - The research shows how intrinsic and extrinsic factors influence the formation and death of stars, galaxies, and galactic clusters throughout cosmic time.

NASA - The unprecedented sensitivity of the telescope across near- and mid-infrared wavelengths allows it to cut through thick dust that obscures the center of Centaurus A in visible light.

HOW:

Live Science - The JWST-derived COSMOS-Web survey boasts better redshift precision and includes more galaxies, including fainter, lower-mass, and more-distant objects compared to the previous COSMOS2020 survey.

NASA - The James Webb Space Telescope utilizes near- and mid-infrared wavelengths to observe celestial objects.

(UPDATED July 6, 2026 17:52 UTC)

The James Webb Space Telescope has just completed the largest survey of the universe ever conducted, revealing insights into how galaxies have evolved since the universe's infancy around 13 billion years ago. This extensive survey, named COSMOS-Web, spans an area of the sky roughly the size of three full moons and includes a catalog of 164,000 galaxies that is now publicly available. The findings highlight how various factors influence the formation and death of stars, galaxies, and galactic clusters over cosmic time, with the survey offering improved precision and a broader range of galaxies compared to earlier studies.

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(UPDATED July 6, 2026 16:08 UTC)

NASA has unveiled stunning new images from the James Webb Space Telescope, showcasing the galaxy Centaurus A in a way that reveals its rich and complex structure. These images, which celebrate four years of successful science operations for the telescope, depict a densely packed tapestry of individual stars and highlight the active, ever-changing nature of the galaxy. Thanks to the unprecedented sensitivity of Webb across near- and mid-infrared wavelengths, the telescope is able to penetrate the thick dust that obscures the center of Centaurus A in visible light.