Webb's penetrating infrared gaze has now revealed the true identity of the glow as a face-on, distant spiral galaxy. It has a protruding central bulge, shown in blue, where older stars reside. The bulge also seems to have side lobes, suggesting that this could be a barred spiral galaxy like the Milky Way.

Using the unique infrared sensitivity of NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, researchers can examine ancient galaxies to probe secrets of the early universe. Now, an international team of astronomers has identified bright hydrogen emission from a galaxy in an unexpectedly early time in the universe's history.

Astronomers have identified a bright hydrogen emission from a galaxy in the very early universe. The surprise finding is challenging researchers to explain how this light could have pierced the thick fog of neutral hydrogen that filled space at that time.