How can scientists study galaxies so far away that they’re beyond the reach of the most powerful space telescopes? They take advantage of natural cosmic telescopes called gravitational lenses, illustrated in this new video.

Using the Webb telescope like a time machine, astronomers will peer back billions of years to study how stars like our Sun formed in the early universe. Astronomers will examine the lensed, magnified light from very distant galaxies that are at or near the peak of star formation. Learn how

Credits: L. Hustak (STScI)