The Webb telescope showed how new stars form in the Virgo constellation

Recent images from the James Webb Telescope have revealed the barred spiral galaxy NGC 5068, named so for its bright inner bar. The galaxy was recorded in the constellation Virgo at a distance of about 20 million light years from Earth, reports Engadget.

The images were combined from infrared images taken by the MIRI (Mid Infrared Instrument) and NIRCam (Near Infrared Camera) sensors. Looking at the two images of the composition, you can see the different layers of the galaxy.

The MIRI image provides insight into the structure of the galaxy and the bubbles of gas that represent newly formed stars. The second image, obtained from the NIRCam camera, focuses attention on a huge band of stars in the foreground. So the composition shows both the huge number of stars in the region and individual stars that have just been born.

There are no breakthrough findings in the image. But NASA says the work is part of a broader effort to collect as many images of star formation from nearby galaxies as possible. Also, the agency hopes that data on such galaxies as NGC 5068 will help to “kickstart” great scientific achievements.

It was previously reported that a third of the most common planets around small stars throughout the galaxy may be in conditions that allow liquid water to hold and possibly support life. We are potentially talking about hundreds of millions of planets.