Top 10 breathtaking images by NASA's James Webb Telescope
The James Webb Space Telescope started functioning in July 2022, and ever since then, it has given a new perspective to our understanding of the universe by providing some breathtaking images of the cosmos.
JWST has an unparalleled ability to peer through interstellar dust and probe the infrared spectrum has allowed humanity to see each subject in a fresh, revealing way.
Photos from this technological advancement have given pictures of everything, from deep galaxy clusters to local solar system neighbours.
Here are some outstanding images taken by the James Webb Telescope
Arp 142
This Webb portrait of interacting galaxies, Arp 142, nicknamed the Penguin and the Egg, shows tidally distorted spirals in infrared, 326 million light‑years away in Hydra.
The image reveals gas, dust, and star‑forming regions sparked by a galactic collision, clearly depicting Webb's power to study cosmic interactions.
Pillars of Creation
JWST revisited these iconic gas-dust columns in the Eagle Nebula, which is 6,500 ly away, using NIRCam, exposing nascent stars and dusty interiors. Compared to Hubble, Webb penetrates deeper, giving details within the pillars where stars are actively forming
El Gordo cluster
The El Gordo galaxy cluster acts as a gravitational lens, magnifying galaxies over 10 billion light‑years distant.
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Webb's infrared view shows hundreds of faint, early-universe galaxies, providing new insight into cosmic infancy and dark matter distribution.
Tarantula Nebula
R
anging as far as 340 light‑years in the Large Magellanic Cloud, this JWST mosaic shows tens of thousands of young stars seen in visible light. Webb's infrared sharpness also depicts the details of star formation processes in one of the Local Group's brightest nebulae.
Phantom Galaxy (M74)
Webb's MIRI observation of the Phantom Galaxy in infrared highlights spiral dust lanes and a bright nuclear cluster. Its resolution provides new clues to dust distribution, star formation patterns, and galactic core dynamics 32 Mly away.
Jupiter
Citizen scientists processed Webb's NIRCam and MIRI images to produce a stunning portrait of Jupiter, showing cloud bands, auroras, rings, and the Great Red Spot. It's the sharpest JWST image of our solar system, showing planetary atmospheric features and satellites.
Cartwheel Galaxy
Webb combined NIRCam and MIRI data to produce a unique view of the Cartwheel Galaxy, which has a ring shape from a past collision 400 Myr ago, located ~500 Mly away. The image shows hot dust, young stars, and a central black hole.
Sagittarius C
This dense NIRCam image captures a 50‑light-year area in the Milky Way's core, containing around half a million stars. It's one of the richest, most detailed datasets of protostars near Sagittarius A*, This photo helps in the studies of star formation under extreme conditions.
Herbig-Haro 211
Webb's NIRCam portrait of HH 211 shows gas jets and shockwaves from newborn stars colliding with nearby dust and gas. The clarity helps astronomers to analyse jet speeds, directions, and their influence on early stellar evolution.
Carina Nebula
Known as the 'cosmic cliffs,' Webb's NIRCam captured massive gas pillars up to seven light‑years tall in Carina that stand about 8,500 ly away. These glowing structures show active star-forming zones eroded by UV radiation.
Photo Credits: Credit:
NASA
, ESA, CSA, STScI, Webb ERO Production Team
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