As NASA's James Webb telescope completes one year, here are some magnificent pics it took
In the last year, NASA has released some spectacular images of space that prove the universe is more magnificent than we imagine. Thanks to the James Webb telescope!
Launched on December 25, 2021, the James Webb space telescope (JWST) has completed a year in space. JWST, the infrared observatory orbiting the sun around 1 million miles from Earth, is NASA's most extensive and powerful space science telescope.
The telescope's better wavelength coverage and improved sensitivity help it capture supreme-quality images of space.
Here are the best pictures by the Webb telescope that captured a never-seen-before spectrum of the universe.
Pillars of Creation
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope delivered a lush, densely intricate landscape, the iconic Pillars of Creation, where new stars develop within thick clouds of gas and dust. The three-dimensional pillars look like magnificent rock figures but are far more porous. They consist of cool interstellar gas and dust that appear semi-transparent in near-infrared light.
(Photograph:Others)
Deepest infrared image of the universe yet
The James Webb Space Telescope shocked the world as it captured this image. It delivered the distant universe's sharpest image so far. Furthermore, the picture is approximately a sand granule's size held at an arm's distance.
Webb's first deep field was galaxy cluster SMACS 0723, comprising thousands of galaxies, including the faintest objects ever observed in the infrared.
(Photograph:Others)
Heart of the Phantom Galaxy
JWST captured the heart of Phantom Galaxy, also known as M74. The image shows the filaments of dust and gas. From the centre of the image, exquisite spiral arms of the delicate filaments wind outwards. The nuclear star cluster at the centre is due to the lack of gas that provides an unobscured view.
The distance between Earth and the Phanom Galaxy is about 32 million light-years away. Astronomers use this galaxy to study the origin and structure of galactic spirals. Webb uses the Mid-InfraRed Instrument (MIRI) used for studying the earliest formations of stars in local galaxies.
(Photograph:Others)
Cosmic Tarantula
The image reveals the intricacies of the structure and composition of the Tarantula nebula, background galaxies and young stars.
Stellar nursery 30 Doradus, nicknamed Tarantula nebula, is located in the Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy. The galaxy's long and dusty filaments are home to the hottest and most massive stars.
Webb's Near-Infrared Camera has captured the details of the galaxy's centre. Radiations from young and massive stars (sparkling pale blue) have hollowed it out.
(Photograph:Others)
Galaxy evolution and black holes
Here is Webb's largest image to date. It contains 150 million pixels and consists of 1,000 different image files.
Webb grasps Stephan's Quintet, a visual group of five galaxies, in a new light.
Webb's objective is to unveil the solar system's mysteries and study every phase of the universe, from the first luminous glows after the big bang to the formation of a solar system capable of supporting life like Earth. Here, it gives a new understanding of galaxy evolution in the early universe.
(Photograph:Others)
Fierce Hourglass
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope showcases the hidden elements of the protostar with the dark cloud L1527. The image provides insights into the beginnings of the new star. Only Webb's Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) could capture the blazing clouds within the Tauras star-forming region.
(Photograph:Others)