The innovative James Webb Space Telescope, operated by NASA, has imaged a cosmic object shaped like a perfect question mark.

The telescope found this strange object while observing two young stars in the constellation Vela, 1470 light years from Earth. The object in question is located just below the two stars called Herbig-Haro 46 and 47.

The exact nature of the object could not be determined. However, scientists made some guesses based on its colour and shape.

Representatives of the Space Telescope Science Institute, which manages James Webb's science operations, said: "It is probably a distant galaxy or interacting galaxies. Their interaction with each other may have caused them to take the shape of this question mark."

According to the researchers, the fact that the object appears red means that its location is very far from Earth.

"This may be the first time we have seen this particular object," the institute said in a statement:

"Additional follow-up is needed to understand exactly what it is. Webb is showing us many new, distant galaxies. So there's a lot more to do!"

Matt Caplan, professor of physics at Illinois State University, also said the object could be two galaxies merging.

"The upper part of the question mark could be a disrupted part of the larger galaxy," he told Space.com:

"As chaotic as mergers can be, objects that extend their curved tails this far are very typical."

If this detected object is a galaxy, I think it could be a galaxy of philosophers. A galaxy inhabited only by those who question, very utopian, but isn't it fun to think about? I immediately felt like I belonged to that galaxy.

Or maybe Oğuzhan Uğur's boredom could have spread to the universe and he could have scribbled there too eheh :)

Or maybe the universe is a bit confused. It could be spinning round singing to itself, "Crazy questions in my head". Imagine if this was the national anthem of the galaxy...

I'm off again, thanks to my imagination, right? :D

 

Source: https://www.indyturk.com/