NASA’s acclaimed $10 billion James Webb Space Telescope was launched on December 25, 2021, replacing the Hubble Space Telescope. Nearly seven months after launch, it finally produced images that NASA says are a portrait that includes the deepest views of the universe ever captured!
The images, which are expected to be released on July 12, 2022, are stunning and supposedly beautiful enough to make a NASA astrophysicist (Thomas Zurbuchen) cry. The hard work has paid off, as JWST is about to show us a whole new perspective on space and a sweeping view of the universe like we’ve never seen it before.
With the most awesome array of cameras in the Solar System, we all had a sneak peak at the first images taken by the James Webb Space Telescope (opens in new tab) in April, in the form of test images where it was compared in quality to the now-retired Space Telescope Spitzer telescope, which was first launched in 2003.
Since then, technology has advanced rapidly, and the improved detail and sharpness of these engineering test images (opens in new tab) were made possible by JWST’s large (7 times larger than Spitzer) segmented honeycomb mirrors, measuring a total length of 21, 5 feet.
However, these latest expected images (about 10-20 predicted) are considered so beautiful that NASA’s Science Mission Directorate Associate Administrator, Thomas Zurbuchen, was almost in tears when he first saw them, as stated on recent press conference.
Test image comparison with Spitzer (Image: NASA) (opens in new tab)
The telescope’s first full-color images it took are said to provide a “new worldview” of the cosmos, according to Zurbuchen. “It’s really hard not to look at the universe in a new light and not just have a moment that’s deeply personal.” He shares, “It’s an emotional moment when you see nature suddenly reveal some of its secrets, and I’d like you to imagine and to look forward to this.’
JWST is the most powerful telescope and space observatory ever launched into space, and is designed primarily to conduct infrared astronomy and capture the faintest light in the Universe from the first generation of stars and galaxies that first formed more than 13.8 billion years at the time of the Big Bang.
Since its launch in December, JWST has managed to unfold origami-style into the position it will remain in for the duration of its mission until 2028, and has also successfully arranged all of its segmented mirrors into place, 18 in total.
(Image credit: NASA Goddard) (opens in new tab)
By peering into the past and looking further beyond the light radiation yet to reach us, the images produced by JWST are likely to surpass the Hubble Space Telescope’s previous Ultra Deep Field Survey, which captured nearly ten thousand galaxies as the oldest visible date back to about 800 million years after the Big Bang. With a much larger primary mirror, JWST is capable of much better detection of invisible infrared light.
Scientists plan to use JWST to peer into the atmospheres of other worlds, looking for signs of potential life or habitability in the form of traces of ammonia, water and methane, as well as other biosignature detections. Soon to be a golden age in our understanding of the wider universe, this may just be the tip of the iceberg for what NASA has up its sleeve with talk of exoplanet spectrum research.
NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy stated that “What I saw excited me as a scientist, as an engineer, and as a human being.” If this anticipated image revealed by NASA next week lives up to the current hype, we’re going to be pretty damn excited .
Join the other astronomers, scientists, engineers, astrophotographers, and just about the rest of the world who are intrigued by the possibilities and potential of what this new golden age of space imaging means for our evolving understanding of our universe, and don’t forget to set your calendars for Wednesday, July 12, 2022
(Image credit: NASA Goddard) (opens in new tab)
Check out the JWST countdown image landing page (opens in a new tab) in anticipation of the first image release, and get live updates by visiting the official YouTube channel, NASA TV (opens in a new tab), for a continuous live stream .
After being released one by one on July 12, 2022, the new images captured by JWST will be available for viewing through NASA’s website (opens in a new tab) and will be shared simultaneously on social media. You can also see these images revealed via a live telecast at 10:30 a.m. EST and hear from NASA experts in a live stream taking place on the NASA TV YouTube channel scheduled for the same hour.
If you’re feeling inspired to try capturing the universe yourself, check out the best astrophotography camera and the best astrophotography lenses.
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