James Webb Space Telescope Reveals 'Cosmic Owl' from Colliding Galaxies

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has unveiled a remarkable astronomical structure dubbed the 'Cosmic Owl,' a pair of colliding ring galaxies located approximately 11 billion light-years from Earth. This discovery, detailed in a recent study published on June 11, 2025, serves as a unique natural laboratory for examining the evolution of galaxies, as it encapsulates various critical processes occurring during cosmic collisions.

The 'Cosmic Owl' is formed from two rare ring galaxies, which are characterized by their distinctive ring-like structures. According to Dr. Mingyu Li, a doctoral student in the Department of Astronomy at Tsinghua University in China and the lead author of the study, the pair was serendipitously identified while analyzing public JWST data in the COSMOS field, an extensively studied region of the sky. 'The colliding galaxy pair immediately stood out because of JWST's high-resolution imaging capabilities,' Li stated in an email to Live Science.

Ring galaxies are particularly uncommon, representing only 0.01% of all known galaxies. The formation of such structures occurs when a smaller galaxy passes through a larger one, resulting in shock waves that expel gas and stars into a ring formation around a central core. This collision not only leads to visually striking formations but also triggers significant astrophysical processes.

The 'Cosmic Owl' features two active galactic nuclei, each containing supermassive black holes more than 10 million times the mass of the Sun, surrounded by tightly packed older stars. These galactic cores, resembling the owl's eyes, are currently engaged in intense activity, pulling in surrounding matter. Additionally, the 'beak' of the owl—formed by the collision front—contains a dense clump of molecular gas, identified as a crucial component for star formation. 'The beak is a region of incredibly intense activity,' Dr. Li explained, noting that the collision-related shock wave compresses the gas, fostering stellar birth.

Using data from the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in Chile, researchers have determined that the molecular gas in the beak region is the 'raw fuel for star formation.' The analysis revealed that a jet of charged particles, emanating from one galaxy's black hole, is impacting the molecular gas cloud, further igniting a substantial burst of star formation. 'This could be a crucial and previously underappreciated mechanism for the rapid and efficient conversion of gas into stars,' Dr. Li noted, emphasizing the implications for understanding galaxy formation in the early universe.

The collision that birthed the 'Cosmic Owl' is estimated to have occurred approximately 38 million years ago, suggesting that the structure will remain visible for a significant duration. This discovery not only enriches our understanding of galaxy evolution but also provides insights into the dynamics of cosmic interactions. Researchers plan to conduct further investigations to delineate the physical processes that led to the formation of this extraordinary structure, including simulations that will reveal factors such as collision angles and the original configurations of the galaxies involved.

The 'Cosmic Owl' joins a list of other peculiar astronomical phenomena previously identified by the JWST, including objects with unusual shapes and formations, demonstrating the telescope's capability to uncover the complexities of our universe. As we continue to observe and analyze such discoveries, the potential for new insights into the mechanics of galaxy formation and evolution remains vast and promising.