Space photo of the week: James Webb telescope shocks scientists with image

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The James Webb Space Telescope’s picture of the Leo P dwarf galaxy.
(Image credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, Kristen McQuinn(STScI))

What it is: The Leo P dwarf galaxy

Where it is: 5.3 million light-years away in the constellation Leo

When it was shared: Jan. 16, 2025

Why it’s so unique: Big galaxies like our own Galaxy originated from little “seed” galaxies, which grow, clash and combine gradually, with each interaction triggering more stars to form as gas and dust mix together. Some of the initial seed galaxies still exist in the universe, having actually stayed the same for billions of years and including couple of chemical aspects besides hydrogen and helium.

One such galaxy is an irregular dwarf galaxy called Leo P (the “P” mean “pristine”which is far enough far from the Local Group of galaxies– the cluster of big galaxies consisting of the Milky Way and Andromeda– to stay untouched by their impact.

Related: 25 beautiful nebula pictures that catch the charm of deep space

Leo P resembles the prehistoric galaxies of the early universe, so astronomers can find out a lot about early cosmic history by studying it. Very first found in 2013, brand-new information from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has actually exposed that Leo P is suddenly forming brand-new stars.

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An uncropped variation of the Leo P image. (Image credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, Kristen McQuinn (STScI) )

That’s a huge surprise to astronomers due to the fact that little, separated galaxies like Leo P were believed to have actually turned off their star-forming factories when deep space had to do with a billion years of ages, throughout a cosmic period referred to as “the Epoch of Reionization.” It followed the cosmic dark ages, which describes a duration throughout the early universe when the thick fog of neutral hydrogen gas obstructed light. When the very first stars formed then blew up as supernovas, they spread out energetic ultraviolet light efficient in ionizing hydrogen atoms, or splitting them back into electrons and protons, according to NASA

See on your own

(Image credit: Amazon)

We reckon the Celestron NexStar 8SE is the very best motorized telescope out there for focusing on galaxies like Leo P, as it’s terrific for astrophotography, and provides sensational, comprehensive images. For a more comprehensive appearance, you can have a look at our Celestron NexStar 8SE evaluation.

Utilizing JWST’s Near Infrared Camera (NIRCam) to identify the brightness and colors of countless stars within the dwarf galaxy, scientists discovered that Leo P formed stars early on in deep space however stopped doing so quickly after the Epoch of Reionization. That was anticipated. The scientists likewise found that the galaxy reignited after a couple of billion years and began forming brand-new stars once again. Astronomers have actually collected comparable measurements for 3 other separated galaxies, however discovered that star production stopped within all of them and never ever resumed, so it’s uncertain why Leo P reignited.

JWST will now study 4 other separated dwarf galaxies to discover more ideas about how star development has actually altered in time.

Jamie Carter is a self-employed reporter and routine Live Science factor based in Cardiff, U.K. He is the author of A Stargazing Program For Beginners and lectures on astronomy and the natural world. Jamie routinely composes for Space.com, TechRadar.com, Forbes Science, BBC Wildlife publication and Scientific American, and numerous others. He modifies WhenIsTheNextEclipse.com.