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A crowded field of galaxies<\/a> throngs this Picture of the Month<\/a> from the NASA\/ESA\/CSA James Webb Space Telescope<\/a>, along with bright stars crowned with Webb\u2019s signature six-pointed diffraction spikes. The large spiral galaxy<\/a> at the base of this image is accompanied by a profusion of smaller, more distant galaxies which range from fully-fledged spirals to mere bright smudges. Named LEDA 2046648, it is situated a little over a billion light-years from Earth, in the constellation Hercules.<\/p>\n One of Webb\u2019s principle science goals is to observe distant \u2014 and hence ancient \u2014 galaxies to understand the details of their formation, evolution, and composition. Webb\u2019s keen infrared<\/a> vision helps the telescope peer back in time, as the light from older, more distant galaxies is redshifted towards infrared wavelengths. Comparing these galactic fossils to modern galaxies will help astronomers understand how galaxies grew to form the structures we see in the universe today. Webb will also probe the chemical composition of thousands of galaxies to shed light on how heavy elements were formed and built up as galaxies evolved.<\/p>\n To take full advantage of Webb\u2019s potential for galaxy archeology, astronomers and engineers must first calibrate the telescope\u2019s instruments and systems. Each of Webb\u2019s instruments contains a labyrinthine array of mirrors and other optical elements that redirect and focus starlight gathered by Webb\u2019s main mirror. This particular observation was part of the commissioning campaign for Webb\u2019s Near-InfraRed Imager and Slitless Spectrograph<\/a> (NIRISS). As well as performing science in its own right, NIRISS supports parallel observations with Webb\u2019s Near-InfraRed Camera<\/a> (NIRCam). NIRCam captured this galaxy-studded image while NIRISS was observing the white dwarf<\/a> WD1657+343, a well-studied star. This allows astronomers to interpret and compare data from the two different instruments, and to characterise the performance of NIRISS.<\/p>\n [Image description: Many stars and galaxies lie on a dark background, in a variety of colours but mostly shades of orange. Some galaxies are large enough to make out spiral arms. Along the bottom of the frame is a large, detailed spiral galaxy seen at an oblique angle, with another galaxy about one-quarter the size just beneath it. Both have a brightly glowing core, and areas of star formation which light up their spiral arms<\/i>.]<\/p>\n