/ Modified feb 6, 2024 11:32 a.m.

James Webb Space Telescope reveals views of spiral galaxies

Scientists are getting new information about our own Milky Way.

Webb-Galaxies Spiral galaxy NGC 1300, 69 million light years from Earth. Imaged by from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope,
NASA

Space researchers are looking over long-awaited images of spiral galaxies tens of millions of light years away.

University of Arizona astronomer Daniel Maschmann says NASA's James Webb Space Telescope is providing a view of these spiral galaxies, which are almost identical to our own Milky Way.

"And we can look at them and see from an outside perspective and understand processes," he said.

The newly-released images are part of a project that focuses on 19 spiral galaxies 50-million to 65-million light years from Earth. Viewing the Milky Way from outside isn't possible, so scientists are studying clouds of gas and dust in spiral galaxies that are similar in size and age.

The UA-backed James Webb Space Telescope is in its third year of operation.

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