The clearest and most detailed image of the distant universe ever taken by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) was released on July 11, 2022.
This image, called Webb’s First Deep Field, captures a scene full of the oldest galaxies scientists have ever seen. Now this innovative image is celebrated through fashion.
Following the spectacular unveiling of JWST’s first science-quality images, astrophysicists have gained valuable insight into what some of the earliest stars and galaxies in the universe looked like. Instantly becoming a new favorite image for many around the world, the First Deep Field’s full-color, infrared image freezes a moment in the early universe—specifically, the galaxy cluster SMACS 0723. Its irregular, glittering galaxies form a fascinating work of art that a company transformed into a delightful galactic dress.
Gallery: The first pictures of the James Webb Space Telescope
In a project combining its two passions – science and clothing – fashion brand Svaha has launched a new JWST-themed collection featuring a dress, top and cardigan. The cotton fabric of each of these items is fully covered with a NASA image that represents just a tiny bit of space in mesmerizing detail.
The JWST dress was in high demand among Svaha customers, according to the brand. “As soon as NASA released the photo, our social media was flooded with requests from our customers to capture the image on a dress,” Svaha founder and CEO Jaya Iyer said in a statement (opens in new tab).
“The image is so beautiful; we just had to do it! So we created these beautiful designs so that people can wear them and own a piece of history!” added Iyer.
Before JWST, its predecessor, the Hubble Space Telescope, had a more limited range of infrared wavelengths it could observe in the universe, according to NASA’s Hubble vs. Web comparison page (opens in new tab). On board JWST, which will launch in December 2021, is an instrument called the Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam).
NIRCam’s infrared sensors allow the telescope to peer further into space than ever before. To create the pattern shown on the dress, the light reaching the telescope took so long to enter the solar system that the resulting shapes represent the universe when it was less than a billion years old.
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has produced the deepest and sharpest infrared image of the distant universe ever. Known as Webb’s First Deep Field, this image of galaxy cluster SMACS 0723 is bursting with detail. (Image: NASA, ESA, CSA and STScI)
To accurately reproduce these sharp details and true proportions, the popular JWST image was digitally printed onto the fabric of the dress (95% cotton and 5% Lycra). Its style features short sleeves and a knee-length cut-out skirt with pockets sewn into the waist for practicality.
The NASA design covers the entire dress, with the photo duplicated on both the top and the skirt, mirrored near the waist. This aspect shows the impressive image to both the viewer and the wearer, providing an upright image on the skirt when the latter looks at it from below.
Iyer originally started the Svaha brand to bring together fashion and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math), with one of the goals being to eradicate the idea that people have to choose between feminine clothing and scientific subjects.
Each item in Webb’s First Deep Field clothing collection is made in sizes XS to 5XL. Available for pre-order at Svaha USA website (opens in new tab), the dress is priced at $79.99, with the cheaper top and vest selling for $44.99 each. For those who pre-order these dresses, they should ship to customers before the end of September 2022.
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