The James Webb Space Telescope has achieved an impressive feat in space by capturing an image of a faraway galaxy three times over, uncovering the tale of a dying star. This stunning accomplishment was made possible with the help of a distant galaxy cluster called RX J2129, situated 3.2 billion light-years away, which produced a gravitational lensing effect. By acting as a gigantic magnifying glass, the cluster allowed the Webb telescope, a collaborative project between NASA, the European Space Agency, and the Canadian Space Agency, to reveal the hidden objects lurking behind it.
The galaxy is not only visible thrice but also at different time intervals. The first depiction of the galaxy reveals a supernova, a luminous exploding star. However, in the second and third images, captured approximately 320 and 1000 days later, the supernova has lost its brightness. A marked version of the image highlights these fascinating characteristics.
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The Webb view with annotations presents three distinct renditions of the galaxy captured at different points in time. While the supernova is discernible in the first rendition, it appears to have diminished in intensity in the subsequent versions.
The supernova was first detected by astronomers through observations using the older Hubble Space Telescope, demonstrating once more how Hubble and Webb can collaborate to enhance our comprehension of the cosmos.
