- It is about the merger of two galaxies known as IC 1623 A and B.

The same galaxy, as seen by the Webb telescope (left) and Hubble (right). / ESA / Webb, NASA & CSA, L. Armus & A. Evans

The subtle differences of the same galaxy photographed by the Hubble telescope and by the Webb

A few months ago, the Webb Space Telescope took pictures of a pair of merging galaxies, known as IC 1623 A and B. Now, the Hubble Space Telescope has captured a new image of the same pair of galaxies.

As Gizmodo collects, the differences between the two photos lie in the fact that one of the telescopes sees the universe mainly in visible and ultraviolet light, and the other sees it in the infrared spectrum.

These two merged galaxies were first discovered in 1897, and are about 270 million light-years from Earth, in the constellation Cetus. The stars in these galaxies form about 20 times faster than the stars in the Milky Way.

Because the Webb telescope views the universe primarily in infrared and near-infrared wavelengths, allowing it to see some of the oldest light in the universe.

This telescope was launched from French Guiana in December 2021 and cost 10 billion dollars, and the lifespan of the mission could be up to 20 years.

Hubble launched in 1990 and still continues to send images back to Earth, mostly in visible and ultraviolet wavelengths, which Webb can't.