Add Category
The James Webb Space Telescope has peered through time and huge amounts of dust to capture a new image of the Cartwheel Galaxy, revealing the spinning ring of colour in unprecedented* clarity*.
Located about 500 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Sculptor, the Cartwheel gained its shape during a spectacular head-on collision between two galaxies.
The impact sent two rings expanding from the galaxy’s centre, “like ripples in a pond after a stone is tossed into it”, NASA and the European Space Agency said in a joint statement on August 2.
A smaller white ring remains closer to the galaxy’s centre, while the outer ring, with its spokes of colour, has been expanding into the universe for about 440 million years.
As the outer ring expands it runs into gas, sparking the formation of new stars.
The Hubble telescope had previously captured images of the rare ring galaxy, which is believed to have been a spiral galaxy like our own Milky Way before it was hit by a smaller intruder galaxy.
But the Webb telescope, which launched in December 2021 and revealed its first images to global fanfare* last month, has far greater reach.
Webb’s ability to detect infra-red light* allowed it to see through the “tremendous amount of hot dust” obscuring the view of the Cartwheel Galaxy, NASA and the ESA said.
This revealed new details about star formation in the galaxy, as well as the behaviour of the supermassive black hole at its heart, the agencies said.
It was also able to detect regions rich in hydrocarbons* and other chemicals, as well as dust that is similar to dust on Earth.
Behind the Cartwheel, two smaller galaxies shine brightly, while even more galaxies can be seen behind them.
The observations show that the Cartwheel Galaxy is still in “very transitory* stage”.
“While Webb gives us a snapshot of the current state of the Cartwheel, it also provides insight into what happened to this galaxy in the past and how it will evolve* in the future,” the space agencies said.
GLOSSARY
- unprecedented: never seen or experienced before
- clarity: clear and easy to see, hear or understand
- fanfare: a showy display meant to draw attention to something
- infra-red light: a type of wave of electricity or light that cannot be seen
- hydrocarbons: an organic compound made up entirely of hydrogen and carbon
- transitory: lasting for only a short time, not permanent
- evolve: change or develop gradually
EXTRA READING
NASA shows off amazing new cosmic views
NASA’s new ‘time travel’ telescope
World’s most powerful space telescope launched
Best pictures to celebrate Hubble’s happy birthday
Earth spinning faster than ever before
QUICK QUIZ
- What is the name of the telescope that captured this image?
- What constellation is the Cartwheel Galaxy part of?
- How many light-years is the Cartwheel Galaxy from Earth?
- Why has this telescope been able to see through the dust obscuring the view of the Cartwheel Galaxy?
- Which other telescope has previously captured images of the Cartwheel Galaxy?
LISTEN TO THIS STORY
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. News: condensed
Identify the most important pieces of information in this article and write a condensed version of it using 50 words or less.
Curriculum Links: English; Science
2. Extension
Compare your condensed news story with a classmate. Did you both include the same information or are your stories quite different? Discuss your choices and then work together to create a final condensed version of the story that you both agree tells the important parts that a reader would need or want to know.
Time: allow 20 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English
VCOP ACTIVITY
Read this!
A headline on an article – or a title on your text – should capture the attention of the audience, telling them to read this now. So choosing the perfect words for a headline or title is very important.
Create three new headlines for the events that took place in this article. Remember, what you write and how you write it will set the pace for the whole text, so make sure it matches.
Read out your headlines to a partner and discuss what the article will be about based on the headline you created. Discuss the tone and mood you set in just your few, short words. Does it do the article justice? Will it capture the audience’s attention the way you hoped? Would you want to read more?
Consider how a headline or title is similar to using short, sharp sentences throughout your text. They can be just as important as complex ones. Go through the last text you wrote and highlight any short, sharp sentences that capture the audience.