This multi-wavelength image from NASA shows a universe full of galaxies that are various shapes, colors and sizes. Most are small while a handful are somewhat larger. A few stars are also scattered across the image. NASA/ESA/CSA/A. Pagan (STScI)/R. Jansen (ASU)/NASA hide caption
NASA's Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope is set to launch in 2027. This innovative telescope is designed to investigate long-standing astronomical mysteries, such as dark energy, the force behind the universe's expansion. NASA hide caption
Jets of gas being released from newly forming stars are captured by the James Webb Space Telescope. NPR/NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Klaus Pontoppidan (NASA-JPL), Joel Green (STScI) hide caption
Illustration of the expansion of the Universe. The Cosmos began 13.7 billion years ago (left). Immediately it began expanding and cooling (stage 1). Its expansion slowed about 10 billion years ago (stage 2). We are now at stage 4. The expansion shows no signs of stopping and is in fact accelerating. The orange arrows indicate the force of gravity, which slows but does not stop the expansion. MARK GARLICK/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRA/Getty Images/Science Photo Libra hide caption
In this handout photo provided by NASA, the first image from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope to be previewed by U.S. President Joe Biden. Handout/Getty Images hide caption
The James Webb Space Telescope's primary mirror is illuminated inside a darkened clean room. The entire telescope is now packed inside a rocket, awaiting launch. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center hide caption
Scientists have used the New Horizons spacecraft, billions of miles from Earth, to measure the darkness of space. NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute hide caption
The plane of the Milky Way Galaxy, which we see edge-on from our perspective on Earth. The projection used in ESO's GigaGalaxy Zoom project gives the impression of looking at the Milky Way from the outside. Serge Brunier/ESO hide caption
An artist's conception of the most-distant supermassive black hole ever discovered, which is part of a quasar from just 690 million years after the Big Bang. Robin Dienel/Courtesy of the Carnegie Institution for Science/Nature hide caption
This view of a stellar nursery taken by the Very Large Telescope on May 23, 2013, also shows a group of thick clouds of dust known as the Thackeray globules silhouetted against the pale pink glowing gas of the nebula. ESO hide caption
This image of the Orion Nebula star-formation region was obtained by multiple exposures using the HAWK-I infrared camera on ESO's Very Large Telescope in Chile. H. Drass et al./ESO hide caption
Astronaut Reid Wiseman captured this image from the International Space Station and posted it on Sept. 28, 2014, writing: "The Milky Way steals the show from Sahara sands that make the Earth glow orange," according to NASA's website. Reid Wiseman/NASA hide caption
This image made by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope shows part of a group of five galaxies known as Stephan's Quintet. NASA, ESA, Hubble SM4 ERO Team/AP hide caption
Humans have pointed their telescopes toward the heavens, and in the process they've managed to figure out a few things about the universe. ESO/B. Tafreshi (twanight.org) hide caption
This image shows a portion of the sky used to recalculate the total number of galaxies in the observable universe. NASA, ESA/Hubble via AP hide caption
Spiral galaxy NGC 6814, whose luminous nucleus and spectacular sweeping arms, rippled with an intricate pattern of dark dust, are captured by the Hubble Space Telescope. ESA/Hubble & NASA hide caption
Proxima Centauri lies in the constellation of Centaurus (The Centaur), just over four light-years from Earth. Although it looks bright through the eye of Hubble, Proxima Centauri is not visible to the naked eye. ESA/Hubble & NASA hide caption
An artist's depiction of the surface of the planet Proxima b as it orbits the red dwarf star Proxima Centauri, the closest star to our solar system. The planet is a bit more massive than Earth, scientists say, and circles its star once every 11 days. ESO/M. Kornmesser/Nature hide caption
Lasers and mirrors are used to carefully measure shifts in space-time. To avoid contamination, protective clothing must be worn at all times. LIGO Lab/Caltech/MIT hide caption
The pair of galaxies NGC 1531/2, engaged in a spirited waltz, is located about 70 million light-years away toward the southern constellation Eridanus (The River). R. Gendler and J.E. Ovaldsen/ESO/IDA hide caption
(Top row, left to right) Titan, Earth's moon, Europa and Enceladus. (Bottom row, left to right) Callisto, Charon, Ariel and lo. NASA hide caption
This computer-simulated image shows a supermassive black hole at the core of a galaxy. The cosmic monster's powerful gravity distorts space around it like the mirror in a fun house, smearing the light from nearby stars. NASA/ESA/D. Coe, J. Anderson and R. van der Marel (Space Telescope Science Institute) hide caption