NASA Releases Much-Anticipated Images That Shed New Light on Space Exploration

Posted: July 16, 2022 7:25 am

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NASA/Getty Images News via Getty Images

Images May Provide the Answers to Many Questions About Space and the Universe Around Us

In a reminder of just how small we are in the universe, NASA released a series of full-color images from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) this week. The images demonstrate the full beauty of the universe in a way that has never been seen before.

First Image Revealed at White House Ceremony

President Joe Biden unveiled the first JWST image on Monday at a special ceremony at the White House. As one of the deepest images of the universe ever captured, the picture looked at a point in space that is 4.6 billion light years away from Earth. This timeline means that the light captured by the JWST was sent from the distant galaxy well before the Earth was formed.

The photo revealed at the White House depicts a cluster of galaxies known as SMACS 0723. The scientific effect known as gravitational lensing helps to bring in focus distant objects for the telescope to capture.

NASA followed up the White House event with its own live stream on Tuesday, revealing even more magnificent images captured by the JWST.

Bill Ingalls/NASA/Getty Images News via Getty Images

President Biden Previews Image from Webb Space Telescope

About the James Webb Space Telescope

This week’s picture release has been months in the making. The JWST was first launched into space on December 25, 2021. The telescope is positioned approximately 1 million miles from Earth and three times farther from the moon. According to experts at NASA, the natural gravitational forces emitted from Earth and the sun mean that the JWST floats around within the same general area without having to rely on a large amount of fuel.

Compare this distance of about 1 million miles to the Hubble Space Telescope, located approximately 340 miles from Earth. The JWST is also exponentially more powerful than its Hubble counterpart. This power will give scientists the ability to go deeper with the image, potentially helping experts to learn more about how planets are formed and the origin of the universe.

The images are being released in partnership with both the Canadian Space Agency and the European Space Agency, making this a global effort.

Additional Photos Released by NASA

NASA released more stunning images during Tuesday’s live streaming event, impressing even those individuals with just a passing interest in space exploration. Here are a few of the highlights:

  • Southern Ring Nebula – Located about 2,000 light years from Earth, the Southern Ring Nebula is a cloud of gas that moves away from a dying star. Because this gas can expand up to 3 trillion miles, it boasts eye-catching colors that pop out in the night sky. This particular cloud of gas is also known as the “eight-burst” nebula.
  • Carina Nebula – Also captured by the JWST was a close look at the Carina Nebula. This massive cloud of interstellar dust has given birth to multiple stars over the years. Over a time period of millions of years, a nebula of this size and power can create entire solar systems. The Carina Nebula is positioned about 7,600 light years from Earth and is distinguished as being one of the biggest and brightest of its kind. This image also shows what is known as the “Cosmic Cliffs,” towers of gas that stretch 7 light years tall.
  • Stephan’s Quintet – Space enthusiasts are gawking at the image of what is known as Stephan’s Quintet, a group of five galaxies located about 290 million light years from Earth. This image is the largest picture captured so far by the JWST. The entire image is made up of over 150 million pixels with almost 1,000 distinct image files needed to show the picture in its entirety. NASA experts say that there could be hundreds of billions of stars that call these five galaxies home, a testament to its massive size in the universe.
  • WASP-96 b – In addition to capturing galaxies and their stars, the JWST is also looking to locate and identify planets. Discovered initially in 2014, WASP-96 b is an exoplanet that JWST was able to learn more about. This planet is wider than Jupiter and is located over 6 quadrillion miles from Earth.

These powerful images captured by the JWST are just the start of what this impressive piece of technology will teach the world about the universe. These pictures could shed new light on the possibility of life on other planets and how the universe came into creation.

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