Analysis: astronomers are hoping future images will show ‘cosmic dawn’, the forming of the first galaxies 13.5bn years ago
have landed and with them a tantalising glimpse of the observatory’s power to peer back in time to the moment when the first stars lit up the universe.
The image Nasa released on Monday showcases the observatory’s ability to look far back towards the dawn of time. In the foreground is the rich cluster of galaxies known as SMACS 0723, which lies nearly 5bn light years from Earth. But it is the other galaxies in the image that have astronomers most excited. Because of the intense gravitational forces the cluster produces, it behaves like an astronomical lens, magnifying light from galaxies behind it and revealing them in unprecedented clarity.
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