James Webb Space Telescope: More high-definition photos made available
ByCox Media Group National Content Desk
ByCox Media Group National Content Desk
GREENBELT, Md. — NASA officials gathered on Tuesday to release additional images from the James Webb Space Telescope, which included stunning images of a dying star.
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Carina Nebula This landscape of “mountains” and “valleys” speckled with glittering stars is actually the edge of a nearby, young, star-forming region called NGC 3324 in the Carina Nebula. Captured in infrared light by NASA’s new James Webb Space Telescope, this image reveals for the first time previously invisible areas of star birth.
Southern Ring Nebula This side-by-side comparison shows observations of the Southern Ring Nebula in near-infrared light, at left, and mid-infrared light, at right, from NASA’s Webb Telescope. (Space Telescope Science Institute Office of Public Outreach/NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, and The E)
Stephan's Quintet Stephan’s Quintet, a visual grouping of five galaxies, is best known for being prominently featured in the holiday classic film, “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
SMACS 0723 NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has produced the deepest and sharpest infrared image of the distant universe to date. Known as Webb’s First Deep Field, this image of galaxy cluster SMACS 0723 is overflowing with detail. (Space Telescope Science Institute Office of Public Outreach/NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Webb ERO )
WASP-96 b NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has captured the distinct signature of water, along with evidence for clouds and haze, in the atmosphere surrounding a hot, puffy gas giant planet orbiting a distant Sun-like star.
Stephan's Quintet This image provided by NASA on Tuesday, July 12, 2022, shows Stephan's Quintet, a visual grouping of five galaxies captured by the Webb Telescope's Mid-Infrared Instrument (Space Telescope Science Institute Office of Public Outreach/AP)
Carina Nebula This image released by NASA on Tuesday, July 12, 2022, combined the capabilities of the James Webb Space Telescope's two cameras to create a never-before-seen view of a star-forming region in the Carina Nebula. Captured in infrared light by the Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) and Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI), this combined image reveals previously invisible areas of star birth. (Space Telescope Science Institute Office of Public Outreach/AP)
James Webb Space Telescope FILE - In this image provided by NASA, the James Webb Space Telescope is released into space from an Ariane rocket on Saturday, Dec. 25, 2021. The telescope is designed to peer back so far that scientists will get a glimpse of the dawn of the universe about 13.7 billion years ago and zoom in on closer cosmic objects, even our own solar system, with sharper focus. (AP)
James Webb Space Telescope FILE - This 2015 artist's rendering provided by Northrop Grumman via NASA shows the James Webb Space Telescope. The telescope is designed to peer back so far that scientists will get a glimpse of the dawn of the universe about 13.7 billion years ago and zoom in on closer cosmic objects, even our own solar system, with sharper focus. (AP)
James Webb Space Telescope FILE - In this Saturday, Dec. 11, 2021 photo released by the European Space Agency, NASA's James Webb Space Telescope is secured on top of the Ariane 5 rocket that will launch it to space from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana. The telescope is designed to peer back so far that scientists will get a glimpse of the dawn of the universe about 13.7 billion years ago and zoom in on closer cosmic objects, even our own solar system, with sharper focus. (Stephane Corvaja/AP)
James Webb Space Telescope FILE - In this April 13, 2017 photo provided by NASA, technicians lift the mirror of the James Webb Space Telescope using a crane at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. The telescope is designed to peer back so far that scientists will get a glimpse of the dawn of the universe about 13.7 billion years ago and zoom in on closer cosmic objects, even our own solar system, with sharper focus. (Laura Betz/AP)
The latest images showed parts of the universe from the telescope’s distant location off Earth and the telescope’s use of the infrared light spectrum showed these regions in a new light, according to The Associated Press.
“Every image is a new discovery and each will give humanity a view of the humanity that we’ve never seen before. The formation of stars, devouring black holes,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said.
The images were released individually at an event at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.
On Monday, the first image from the $10 billion James Webb Space Telescope was unveiled, giving humanity its the deepest ever look into the universe.
The “deep field” image is filled with lots of stars, with massive galaxies in the foreground and faint and extremely distant galaxies peeking through, according to AP.
Part of the image is light from not too long after the Big Bang, which was 13.8 billion years ago.
The James Webb Space Telescope is the world’s biggest and most powerful space telescope. In 2021, it lifted off from French Guiana in South America. According to the AP, it reached its orbit 1 million miles from Earth in January. Then the lengthy process began to align its mirrors, get its infrared detectors cold enough to operate and calibrate its science instruments, all protected by a sunshade the size of a tennis court that keeps the telescope cool.
The European and Canadian space agencies joined NASA in building the telescope.
