The James Webb Space Telescope, the most powerful ever built, has captured a rare and stunning image of a galaxy 500 million light-years away, reports AFP.

The American space agency NASA published on Tuesday a stunning image of the “Wagon Wheel” galaxy, the rings of which stand out with unprecedented clarity thanks to the new James Webb Space Telescope, Agerpres notes.

Like the Milky Way, astronomers believe that the Wheel galaxy was once a spiral galaxy. But the current shape would be due to a spectacular event: a collision with another smaller galaxy (not visible in the image).

Later, two rings formed from the center of the collision, similar to the wavy concentric circles caused by a stone thrown into the water. Hence its sonorous name – chariot wheel.

The first ring, located closer to the center, is very bright, and the second, located outside, has been expanding for 440 million years. As it expands, this ring collides with the surrounding gas, causing star formation.

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This galaxy was previously observed by the Hubble Space Telescope, but now, thanks to the infrared capabilities of the James Webb Telescope, new, hitherto hidden details have been revealed, which can be seen behind the large amount of dust.

The composite image, from observations made by the telescope’s two science instruments, also includes two other smaller galaxies, as well as many more in the background.

The Wheel galaxy is still in a “transitional” state, NASA said in a statement. The James Webb Telescope “gives us a perspective on the current state (of the galaxy), but also gives us an idea of ​​what has happened to it in the past and how it will evolve in the future.”

The James Webb Telescope, a $10 billion engineering gem, was launched into space about seven months ago and is about 1.5 million kilometers from Earth.