Breathtaking James Webb video zooms through the cosmos to the Cartwheel Galaxy

To a galaxy 500 million light-years away...
 By 
Elena Cavender
 on 
The James Webb Space Telescope.
The Webb telescope does it again! Credit: Getty Images

Tumble into the Cartwheel Galaxy.

The Cartwheel Galaxy is the latest distant galaxy to get the Webb telescope treatment. The Webb telescope is the most powerful telescope ever built, and it continues to capture incredible images of the distant cosmos. In a new video from the European Space Agency, which partners with NASA and the Canadian Space Agency, the telescope zooms through the cosmos to the Cartwheel Galaxy located 500 million light-years away.

The video ends with a stunning composite image of the Cartwheel Galaxy captured by Webb's Near-Infrared Camera and Mid-Infrared Instrument the combination of which allows for a level of detail and clarity that would be hard to see in the individual images.


You May Also Like

In the snapshot, the Cartwheel Galaxy is in a transitory stage, meaning it might be in the process of colliding or interacting with another galaxy. The future form the galaxy will take is still a mystery, but the images provide insight into its past and future.

Topics NASA

Mashable Image
Elena Cavender

Elena is a tech reporter and the resident Gen Z expert at Mashable. She covers TikTok and digital trends. She recently graduated from UC Berkeley with a BA in American History. Email her at [email protected] or follow her @ecaviar_.

Mashable Potato

Recommended For You
Webb telescope zooms in on a black hole's messy feeding zone
An artist's rendering of the Circinus galaxy's supermassive black hole

Scientists used the Webb telescope to make a video of Uranus' auroras
Webb telescope observing Uranus' upper atmosphere



Reserve a new Galaxy device before Samsung Unpacked and get a free $30 credit
the Samsung logo on a purple oval with a green background

More in Science

Trending on Mashable
NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 4, 2026
Connections game on a smartphone

Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 4, 2026
Wordle game on a smartphone

NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 3, 2026
Connections game on a smartphone


Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 3, 2026
Wordle game on a smartphone
The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.
These newsletters may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. By clicking Subscribe, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!