The find is surprising as that is not what the tool was designed to do.
"Primarily, it's exciting because we have shown that we're able to find and detect new transients with Webb, which was something that JWST is not designed to do," continued Engesser. "But it's one of the things we're showing we're able to do in sort of an ad hoc way."Finding celestial objects like supernovas is usually left to ground telescopes, which is what makes the discovery even more exciting and unique.
The new find is particularly exceptional as JWST looks only at small patches of the sky compared to ground telescopes. "So the actual likelihood that you'll find a transient in the field you're looking at is fairly small — or at least we thought it would be small," said Engesser. "But as you've probably heard, every JWST field is a deep field at this point, so there's galaxies everywhere, and now we're thinking, oh, we might have a really good chance of detecting supernovae all the time.
Supernovae, by their very nature, fade over a few months, indicating that astronomers don't usually get to see their much later stages. These stages are crucial to scientists trying to figure out more about what type of stars exploded, along with the physics of that stellar explosion. JWST’s inherently deeper view of the universe could now reveal those much-needed details even several years later after the supernovae’s formation. These details could, in turn, help scientists comprehend the very fabric of the universe and how it's stretching and expanding over time. Way to go, JWST! We will be waiting for
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Get alerts every time the James Webb Space Telescope drops a heavenly new lookThe James Webb Space Telescope is going to be peering into the cosmos for about 20 years, so now's the time to set up alerts for whenever it takes new pics.
Read more »
Jupiter glows in new James Webb Space Telescope raw imageThe observations turn Jupiter on its side.
Read more »
The James Webb is Measuring Distant Galaxies 5-10 Times Better Than any Other TelescopeThe James Webb Space Telescope is enabling all kinds of next-generation astronomy, including producing accurate mass measurements of the most distant galaxies.
Read more »
James Webb telescope may have spotted its first supernova | Digital TrendsThe James Webb firsts keep coming, with the new space telescope having recently spotted its first supernova.
Read more »
James Webb Space Telescope's 1st stunning photo is now a dressYou can now add the deepest infrared image of the universe to your wardrobe.
Read more »
NBA Opens Investigation Into Sixers' Free Agency, James Harden's Pay Cut, Per ReportThe NBA has opened an investigation into the Sixers’ moves during free agency, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Friday night. By Noah Levick
Read more »