JWST and Hubble take stunning image of the 'Christmas tree' cluster

Researchers at Arizona State University have utilised the Hubble Space Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope to study galaxy cluster MACS0416, which they are calling the “Christmas tree” cluster. Located about 4.3 billion light years from Earth, it earned its nickname because it is so colourful and due to the flickering lights found within it.

Beyond its aesthetic qualities, studying this region has a scientific purpose. The team is searching for transients, objects that vary in observed brightness over time. These observations help identify gravitationally magnified supernovae and otherwise invisible, ordinary stars, revealing a wealth of details that is only possible to discern by combining the power of both space telescopes.

Do we create space-time? A new perspective on the fabric of reality

For the first time, it is possible to see the quantum world from multiple points of view at once. This hints at something very strange – that reality only takes shape when we interact with each other