51¶¯Âþ

Kepler space telescope

Space

Giant Milky Way-like galaxy formed unusually soon after the big bang

The Big Wheel, discovered using the James Webb Space Telescope, formed just 2 billion years after the big bang - surprisingly early for a spiral galaxy of a similar size to our Milky Way

51¶¯Âþ

NASA Webb Wows With Incredible Detail in Actively Forming Star System At the center is a thin vertical cloud known as Lynds 483 that is shaped like an hourglass with irregular edges. At lower center are two discrete bright white, tiny blobs of light that have raced away from the hidden central stars. The top lobe shows a more prominent orange U-shape. Orange bleeds into light purple, and brighter pink at its edges. Some background stars are visible through sections of this lobe. Higher up, there is an orange arc. Some brighter pink material extends to the top edges near the center. In the lower lobe, less orange is visible. More opaque light purple is in its top third, rippling out into semi-transparent blues and pinks. The lower lobe has more texture. V-shapes left and right of the lobes are darkest, and the background stars in these areas appear orange. Elsewhere, the black background of space is clearer, speckled with tiny white stars and faint orange galaxies. Shimmering ejections emitted by two actively forming stars make up Lynds 483 (L483). High-resolution near-infrared light captured by NASA?s James Webb Space Telescope shows incredible new detail and structure within these lobes. Credits: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI

Space

See a shimmering hourglass-shaped star system in exquisite detail

51¶¯Âþ

Rhiannon Adam, United Kingdom, Finalist, Professional competition, Creative, Sony World Photography Awards 2025

Space

Eerie image of a space-bound rocket among photo contest finalists

Regulars

Helios at the Bath Assembly Rooms, Jan 2025

Space

51¶¯Âþ recommends Helios, Luke Jerram's giant sun sculpture

Culture

Physics

Why exactly is the quantum world so weird?

Comment

US military wants to grow giant biological structures in space

Technology

US military wants to grow giant biological structures in space

51¶¯Âþ

The best new science fiction books of March 2025

Comment

The best new science fiction books of March 2025

Culture

NASA set to launch SPHEREx space telescope to scan entire sky

51¶¯Âþ

Space

Spacecraft may need to be dirtier to keep astronauts healthy

51¶¯Âþ

Jennifer Walshe

Space

51¶¯Âþ recommends Jennifer Walshe: Zero-gravity opera

The books, TV, games and more that 51¶¯Âþ staff have enjoyed this week

Culture

Physics

How does astronomy fit into astrophysics – and does it matter?

Comment

Images that capture our timeless obsession with the moon

Regulars

Space

Maybe NASA’s SLS should be cancelled – but not by Elon Musk

Analysis

Space

Distant exoplanet may be the most volcanic world ever found

51¶¯Âþ

Piano Exit Overlay Banner Mobile Piano Exit Overlay Banner Desktop