Chandra telescope enhances Webb images

Images courtesy of NASA

NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory telescope has combined its X-ray data with the James Webb Space Telescope's (JWST) infrared images to created enhanced versions of Webb's shots of (clockwise from right) the Cartwheel Galaxy, Carina Nebula, the SMACS 0723.3–7327 galaxy cluster and the four galaxies within Stephan's Quintet. The data has revealed new information that showcases the combined power of both telescopes.

In the Cartwheel Galaxy image, Chandra's data (blue and purple) showcases the various gases involved within the birth of stars scattered throughout the galaxy as well as its two companion galaxies.

In the Carina Nebula image, Chandra (pink) allows scientists to more easily determine the age of the stars within the nebula due to younger stars appearing brighter in X-ray imaging than older stars. The purple haze near the top of the images is believed to be diffused gases from three particularly hot and dense stars within the nebula not captured by Webb.

SMACS 0723.3–7327 is revealed to contain not only the hundreds of the individual galaxies within it but also a cloud of gas (blue) with a mass 100 trillion times that of our own sun with temperatures reaching tens of millions of degrees fahrenheit.

Four of the galaxies within Stephan's Quintet are caught by gravity in what is described as a "cosmic dance" by scientists and Chandra showcases the effects of this dance. Specifically, the data (light blue), also combined with the now-retired Spitzer Space Telescope's (SST) (red, green, blue) reveals a shock wave heating gases to tens of millions of degrees as the galaxies pass through eachother.

Webb's current position can be tracked on NASA's "Where is Webb" page.