James Webb telescope is peering farther into the universe than ever before, and now, the celestial objects it’s finding along the way need names.The International Astronomical Union, the organization tasked with naming celestial objects, is launching a contest to name 20 exoplanetary systems — or planets orbiting other stars — that the long-awaited telescope has discovered.
Organizers say the contest, NameExoWorlds 2022, "invites communities across the globe to connect their own cultures to these distant worlds."The James Webb — the world’s largest and most powerful telescope — launched in December 2021 and traveled a million miles to its final destination.NASA released its first images from Webb in July.
So far, it has vastly exceeded expectations, despite being permanently damaged by a micrometeoroid.With Webb, scientists hope to glimpse light from the first stars and galaxies that formed 13.7 billion years ago, just 100 million years from the universe-creating Big Bang.
The telescope also will scan the atmospheres of alien worlds for possible signs of life.RELATED: James Webb Space Telescope captures stunning new image of Cartwheel GalaxyNASA Administrator Bill Nelson has described Webb as a time machine that will provide "a better understanding of our universe and our place in it: who we are, what we are, the search that’s eternal."Image captured by James Webb telescope (NASA) To enter, contestants must first build a team comprised of students and teachers, astronomy enthusiasts, amateur astronomers, and professional astronomers, according to the IAU.