An Almost-Famous Galaxy Cluster Is The JWST’s Picture Of The Month

This is MACS J1149, a massive galaxy cluster used as a gravitational lens. It's about 5 billion light-years away and contains at least 300 galaxies, and likely many hundreds more. It's been selected as the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope Picture of the Month. Image Credit: ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, C. Willott (National Research Council Canada), R. Tripodi (INAF - Astronomical Observatory of Rome). LICENCE: CC BY 4.0 INT or ESA Standard Licence

Gravitational lensing is a powerful tool that brings impossibly distant galaxies into reach. The JWST uses galaxy clusters and their overpowering to magnify background galaxies that are otherwise beyond our observational capabilities. One cluster, named MACS J1149.5+2223, is 5 billion light-years away and holds at least 300 galaxies, probably many more. It’s been chosen as the JWST’s Picture Of The Month.

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