James Webb Space Telescope captures galaxies merging

On Friday, to mark the second anniversary of operations of the James Webb Space Telescope, NASA released a breathtaking new cosmic image of two galaxies merging together.

The telescope, which launched on Dec. 25, 2021, has transformed the field of astronomy with stunning images that are helping researchers uncover some of the mysteries of the universe.

The James Webb Space Telescope is a collaborative effort between NASA, the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency. Unlike the Hubble Space Telescope, which orbits around the Earth, Webb orbits the sun at a distance of about 1 million miles away from Earth.

The image released Friday depicts two merging galaxies, collectively known as Arp 142, and fittingly nicknamed "the Penguin and the Egg." The "Penguin" is the distorted spiral galaxy that resembles a penguin in the middle, while the "Egg" is the elliptical galaxy on the left. It is estimated that the "Penguin" and the "Egg" are about 100,000 light years apart, a surprisingly close distance in astronomical terms.

Arp 142 lies 326 million light years from Earth in the constellation Hydra. NASA says the two galaxies first interacted between 25 and 75 million years ago and will complete several additional loops before merging into a single galaxy hundred of millions of years from now.

If you take a moment to scan the background, Webb's image is filled with distant galaxies. Some appear in spiral and oval shapes, while others are scattered as shapeless dots. This is a testament to the impressive sensitivity and resolution of the telescope's infrared instruments.

Webb, often referred to as a "time machine," studies every phase of the universe's history, from the initial radiant glows following the Big Bang to the evolution of our own solar system.

"We really are understanding and starting to get new information on how the very first galaxies formed and evolved in the universe," Mark Clampin, the director of the astrophysics division at NASA headquarters in Washington, told CBS News.

He explained that unlike the Hubble Telescope, Webb "can actually see inside these big dust clouds, and start to study stars as they're being formed."

This allows scientists to watch these stars evolve and study how the planetary systems are born around them.

"And then, of course, we want to understand the nature of exoplanets," Clampin said, referring to planets outside our own solar system, "and ultimately start trying to find evidence of habitability."

Webb has been observing potentially habitable planets since its deployment . NASA reported that it currently knows of around 30 planets that may be "small, rocky planets like Earth and that orbit in the habitable zone."

Webb's remarkable sensitivity allows it to detect and begin to characterize the atmospheres of several promising, potentially habitable planets orbiting cool stars, identifying crucial molecules for life like water vapor, methane and carbon dioxide.

"In just two years, Webb has transformed our view of the universe, enabling the kind of world-class science that drove NASA to make this mission a reality," said Clampin. "Webb is…ushering in a new era of studying distant worlds, while returning images that inspire people around the world and posing exciting new questions to answer. It has never been more possible to explore every facet of the universe."