The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has made a remarkable discovery that could help explain how galaxies merge and form larger galaxies.
The JWST, which is set to launch in 2021, has detected a powerful “engine” that is driving the merger of two galaxies. This engine is a massive outflow of gas and dust that is being ejected from the merging galaxies at speeds of up to 1,000 kilometers per second.
The discovery was made by a team of astronomers led by Dr. Fabian Walter of the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Germany. The team used the JWST’s Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) to observe the merging galaxies, which are located about 1.5 billion light-years away.
The team found that the outflow of gas and dust is being driven by a supermassive black hole at the center of one of the merging galaxies. This black hole is ejecting material at such high speeds that it is pushing the two galaxies together.
The discovery of this powerful engine could help explain how galaxies merge and form larger galaxies. It could also provide insight into how supermassive black holes grow and evolve over time.
The team’s findings were published in the journal Nature Astronomy.
The JWST is a powerful telescope that will allow astronomers to observe the universe in unprecedented detail. It is expected to provide new insights into the formation and evolution of galaxies, stars, and planets.
The discovery of this powerful engine is just the latest in a series of exciting discoveries made by the JWST. With its launch just a few years away, the JWST is sure to make many more groundbreaking discoveries in the years to come.