Mesmerising images from James Webb space telescope
The 'deepest and sharpest' image of the Universe to date: the first photos from the new James Webb space telescope yesterday mesmerised astronomers and the public alike. Leiden Professor of Molecular Astrophysics, Ewine van Dishoeck, spoke to various media outlets about the first images, which include a 'stellar nursery'.
The James Webb space telescope was launched in French Guiana on Christmas Day last year. After a journey of about a month, it began the process of unfolding the mirrors and preparing the instruments. This is why the first images took some time. But the wait was worth it and astronomers now hope to learn more about the birth of our own Milky Way. Below a few of the first images:
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Emerging stellar nurseries and individual stars in the Carina Nebula / NASA, ESA, CSA, and STScI -
Southern Ring Nebula, some 2,500 light-years from Earth / NASA, ESA, CSA, and STScI -
An unprecedented view of galaxies from billions of years ago / NASA, ESA, CSA, and STScI -
The telescope sheds new light on Stephan's Quintet galaxy / NASA, ESA, CSA, and STScI
Professor Ewine van Dishoeck spoke to various media outlets about what can be seen in the photos. These are a few of them:
Astronomers will now have access to the first raw data collected by the telescope. Van Dishoeck expects the first scientific articles very soon.