Life offers both big and small questions, and so does perhaps the infinitely vast space.
Now it can look as if outer space is also stumbling upon its own existence.
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has delivered many spectacular images from space over the past year, and now an image has arrived that has really surprised scientists.
This reports Space.com.
If you zoom in on the image, you see that the space telescope has immortalized what looks like a massive, red-hot question mark up there in the darkness.
– When looking for answers in space, several questions sometimes arise, writes the website.
NO STOP: British astronaut Mark Kelly got a bit of a surprise in space. Non Stop TV with Sondre Rahm and Christian Wehus. We create Norway’s best viral program that gives you the most spectacular clips every day that you don’t want to miss Show more
In a galaxy far, far away
It is the European Space Agency (ESA) that has published the image, which shows parts of the constellation Vela.
Vela is located around 1470 light years from Earth
The image shows two stars, which have been named Herbig-Haro 46/47, forming.
In the picture you can see that just below the stars, in the background, there is something reminiscent of a huge question mark.
STAR BIRTH: The James Webb image shows two stars forming. Below them, the question mark appears. Do you see that? Photo: European Space Agency/NASA Show more
– A galaxy far, far away
It is not known what this questioning object is, but the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore has a theory.
– It is probably a distant galaxy, or potentially galaxies that interact, says a spokesperson to Space.com.
HERE I AM!: The question mark is probably in a galaxy far, far away. Photo: European Space Agency/NASA Show more
Explains the red color
The person explains that the interaction may have caused the question mark formation, and that the red color indicates that it is far, far away.
– This may be the first time the object has been observed by humans, says the spokesperson.
Mysterious signals: – Could be aliens
Easily
Assistant physics professor Matt Caplan at Illinois State University says the object could be two galaxies merging in the background of the image.
He also refers to the color of the object.
– Considering the color of other galaxies in the background, this is not the worst theory, he claims.
LOOKING OUT: An illustration of the James Webb Space Telescope floating in space. Photo: Northrop Grumman/NASA/AP Show more
Much, much more
The James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021.
It uses infrared radiation that penetrates, among other things, intergalactic clouds of dust and gas, according to Large Norwegian encyclopedia.
This means that the space telescope can record both smaller and significantly more structures and sources than its predecessors – and that it can look further into the universe.
So now it remains to be seen whether the scientists can find out what the question mark in space is – or whether the big question will remain unanswered.
2023-08-11 08:21:23
#scientists #gape
