Unknown Era: The First Galaxies

View All Images

Drawing summarizing galaxy evolution through time and space.

Release Date: April 21, 2021 9:00AM (EDT)

Media Use: Copyright

Download Options:

Full Res, 12600 X 12600, JPG (170.71 MB) 3300 X 3300, JPG (8.36 MB)

About This Image

Though we have seen far back in time thanks to powerful telescopes like Hubble, questions remain about the very first galaxies to form in the universe. NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope will push the boundaries of what is observable in the universe farther back in time and space, detecting light emitted by the earliest galaxies more than 13 billion years ago. As that light has travelled through space, it has been stretched to longer, redder wavelengths by the expansion of the universe; this is one reason why Webb is equipped with infrared-detecting instruments. This capability, combined with unprecedented resolution and sensitivity, will allow Webb to take us farther than ever in answering our questions about the early eras of our universe.