See the best Webb Telescope images so far with new ‘x-ray vision’ layers

Our large telescopes are designed to complement each other, as shown last week when Webb and Hubble captured the aftermath of NASA’s DART mission to alter an asteroid’s orbit.

Further proof of that comes this week with the public release of four new composite images that combine data from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope and Chandra Telescope.

While the former works in infrared light, the latter detects X-rays. Both are invisible to the human eye, so these images use filters that assign colors to different wavelengths of light to bring them back into vision human.

The four images are from the first batch or two released after Webb’s “first light” earlier this year. They include his groundbreaking observations of a cluster of galaxies (SMACS J0723), a cluster of galaxies (Stefan’s Quintet), a star-forming nebula (Carina), and a galaxy (the Cartwheel) .

In recent weeks, Chandra has been pointed at the same objects to collect data in X-ray wavelengths of light, which capture higher-energy processes than Webb’s infrared view.

1. Stephan Quintet

You’ve probably seen this image before (main article image, top), but not like this. Look in the center and you will see a new layer of light blue captured by the Chandra telescope. This data reveals a shock wave of superheated gas caused by one of the galaxies traversing the others at two million miles per hour.

2. The Wheel Galaxy

Chandra’s contribution to this new composite image (above) of the Cartwheel galaxy can be seen in the all-new blue and purple colors, which reveal the presence of superheated gas, individual exploding stars, neutron stars and black holes that can be seen drawing material from other stars.

3. Cosmic Cliffs of the Carina Nebula

Perhaps the most iconic of all the images the Webb Telescope has taken so far, this new composite image of the Carina Nebula (above), includes a new layer of pink data from Chandra. There are about ten pink areas in this new image that help pinpoint the location of very young stars. This is because newborn stars are much brighter in X-ray wavelengths than old stars.

It’s a great example of how different wavelengths of light can help reveal different processes going on in regions of space previously imaged multiple times by other telescopes.

4. SMACS J0723 galaxy cluster

This image (above) is perhaps the most important in astronomy in years given that it has helped astronomers find some of the oldest stars and galaxies ever seen. This new composite from Chandra and Webb reveals the former’s blue layer of hot gas at the center of this galaxy cluster.

As astronomers point the Webb Telescope at more and more objects, expect many more collaborations with Chandra and the Hubble Space Telescope.

I wish you clear skies and big eyes.