NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is helping scientists unravel the mystery of spiral galaxies and has captured a detailed image of several belonging to the early universe from a period known as “cosmic noon.” The period is eight to 10 billion years ago when the galaxies formed about half their current stellar mass, making this group the farthest to be seen by human eyes.

While the Hubble Space Telescope and Spitzer Space Telescope have provided observations of these twisted collections of stars and gas, JWST’s ability to capture incredible detail will allow scientists to understand the detailed shapes and properties. One of the three observed by JWST is a passive spiral galaxy that is not generating new stars, and the discovery could reveal that this rare spiral galaxy is abundant throughout the universe.

While the Hubble Space Telescope and Spitzer Space Telescope have provided observations of these twisted collections of stars and gas, JWST’s ability to capture incredible detail will allow scientists to understand the detailed shapes and properties. Red spiral galaxies are rare, accounting for only two percent of the galaxies in the local universe, and the color usually means they formed in the early universe. Because of this, astronomers are searching for these formations in the hope that they will tell us more secrets about the early universe.

Using the powerful mechanics of JWST, NASA hopes to piece together the star formation history of this galaxy that it believes formed billions of years ago, not long after the Big Bang. JWST captured three spirals while investigating deep space: RS12, RS13, and RS14. And they are all in the SMACS 0723 field.