Will we ever know where we came from? Nasa have released an amazing new image taken by their space telescope. But some look to the picture as proof that there are things that we will never fully understand.
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'Unprecedented' images show secrets of space
Will we ever know where we came from? Nasa have released an amazing new image taken by their space telescope. But some look to the picture as proof that there are things that we will never fully understand.
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What's happening?
There are reds and greens and oranges and blues and purples. It is a beautiful picture that has amazed many people around the world.
This week, NasaThe National Aeronautics and Space Administration, responsible for the US space programme. showed the world a new picture taken by the James Webb space telescopeA device which makes things look nearer than they are. . The picture shows 50 young stars being made. Once, our solar systemThe Sun and the objects whose movement it controls. may have looked a bit like this.
The telescope has changed how we understand the universeEverything. Including all of time and space and its contents. . It has shown us a star that is about to die and the earliest galaxiesA system of gas and dust and billions of stars, held together by gravity. that ever formed.
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But the more we learn, the more questions scientists have.
We do not know how life was created. We do not know how planets are formed. And even the Big BangThe moment the universe came into being. It is thought that this took place in a kind of explosion from a dimensionless singularity. theory - the idea about how the universe began - may not be as likely as we once thought.
Even within our tiny little solar system there are unanswered questions. We still have no idea whether there was ever life on Mars. We do not know how our own Moon formed. And many astronomersA scientist who focuses on the study of space. The term originates from the Greek astronomos, meaning star-arranging. think there could be a huge ninth planet hiding away somewhere in the solar system changing the gravityAn invisible force that pulls objects towards each other. Earth's gravity keeps us on the ground and makes things fall. It is less strong on Mars. of other planets.
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Will we ever know where we came from?
Yes! We are learning so much so quickly. In the future, we will have even more powerful telescopes. We will be able to answer all of our big questions about the universe.
No! The universe is so big it is impossible to completely understand it. We will learn more, of course. But we will never really know exactly where we came from.
Keywords
Nasa - The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, responsible for the US space programme.
Telescope - A device which makes things look nearer than they are.
Solar System - The Sun and the objects whose movement it controls.
Universe - Everything. Including all of time and space and its contents.
Galaxies - A system of gas and dust and billions of stars, held together by gravity.
Big Bang - The moment the universe came into being. It is thought that this took place in a kind of explosion from a dimensionless singularity.
Astronomers - A scientist who focuses on the study of space. The term originates from the Greek astronomos, meaning star-arranging.
Gravity - An invisible force that pulls objects towards each other. Earth's gravity keeps us on the ground and makes things fall. It is less strong on Mars.
‘Unprecedented’ images show secrets of space
Spacing out: The telescope’s picture shows 50 baby stars in a cloud complex 390 million light years away from us. Glossary
Nasa - The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, responsible for the US space programme.
Telescope - A device which makes things look nearer than they are.
Solar System - The Sun and the objects whose movement it controls.
Universe - Everything. Including all of time and space and its contents.
Galaxies - A system of gas and dust and billions of stars, held together by gravity.
Big Bang - The moment the universe came into being. It is thought that this took place in a kind of explosion from a dimensionless singularity.
Astronomers - A scientist who focuses on the study of space. The term originates from the Greek astronomos, meaning star-arranging.
Gravity - An invisible force that pulls objects towards each other. Earth's gravity keeps us on the ground and makes things fall. It is less strong on Mars.