By Gurpreet Singh |February 22, 2026
The galaxy, named COSMOS2020-635829, lies in the famous COSMOS field, a region astronomers study deeply to understand distant universe structures.
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NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope captured stunning infrared images, exposing glowing gas trails stretching far beyond the galaxy’s bright stellar disk.
Image: NASA
Light from COSMOS2020-635829 travelled 8.5 billion years before reaching Earth, showing the galaxy when the universe was much younger.
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Scientists explain the jellyfish shape through ram-pressure stripping, where hot cluster gas forcefully pulls material away from moving galaxies.
Image: NASA
Bright blue knots glow inside trailing gas streams, marking regions where intense star formation continues beyond the galaxy’s core.
Image: Canva
Astronomers previously believed such powerful environmental effects were uncommon so early in cosmic history.
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As COSMOS2020-635829 speeds through cluster gas, invisible cosmic winds create its spectacular jellyfish-like appearance.
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Finding such a dramatic jellyfish galaxy 8.5 billion years ago proves galaxy clusters matured faster than expected.
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This research may explain why many galaxies in nearby clusters today appear gas-poor and no longer forming stars.
Image: Canva
When this light began travelling, the universe was only about 5.3 billion years old, still assembling clusters and massive structures.
Image: Canva