The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) James Webb Space Telescope has captured its first images and spectra of Mars, NASA said on Monday.

Webb's infrared-sensitivity and location gives unique insight into short-term phenomena on Mars, like dust storms, weather and seasonal changes, said NASA, adding that Webb's first images of Mars, captured by the Near-Infrared Camera, showed a region of the planet's eastern hemisphere at two different wavelengths. 

Astronomers will analyze the features of the first near-infrared spectrum of Mars to gather additional information about the surface and atmosphere of the planet, according to NASA.

Webb is an international program led by NASA with the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency.

Webb will find the first galaxies that formed in the early universe and peer through dusty clouds to see stars forming planetary systems, said the U.S. space agency.

(With input from Xinhua)