Webb Captures ‘Extraordinary’ Photos of 19 Nearby Spiral Galaxies
The James Webb Space Telescope captured images of 19 nearby spiral galaxies as part of its long-term Physics at High Angular resolution in Nearby GalaxieS (PHANGS) program.
NASA Wants to Put a High-Res Telescope Camera Array on the Moon
A team from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center has proposed a design for a lunar-based multi-camera telescope array that could start small, but expand to be much larger over time.
NASA and Postal Service Team Up for Commemorative Webb Photo Stamps
NASA and the United States Postal Service (USPS) have teamed up on two new Priority Mail stamps that celebrate the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST/Webb).
Webb Finds That Many Old, Distant Galaxies Look Like Surfboards
While the James Webb Space Telescope has been busy helping scientists solve some of the greatest mysteries of the early Universe, the powerful telescope has also found that many distant galaxies have flattened oval disk and tube-like shapes, unlike the spiral and elliptical structures that are more typically seen in closer galaxies.
NASA Shares Image of Penguin and Egg Shaped Galaxy
NASA has shared an image of a pair of galaxies that look like a penguin and its egg millions of light-years from Earth.
Webb Answers One of the Early Universe’s Biggest Questions
While the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has delivered many beautiful images, its primary mission is to probe the early Universe and help humanity solve some of the most significant questions it faces. Webb has delivered on this promise by revealing, for the first time, what is in the local environment of galaxies in the very earliest days of the Universe.
Stunning Supernova Remnant Leaves Beautiful Echoes in Space
150 million light-years from Earth, a relatively small galaxy, UGC 5189A, was the site of a massive supernova, a super-powerful star explosion.
We’ve Been Getting the Colors of Neptune and Uranus All Wrong
Fresh analysis of images taken by NASA's Voyager 2 probe has revealed that the planets Neptune and Uranus are actually far more similar in color than previously thought.
The Best James Webb Space Telescope Photos of 2023
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has wrapped up its first full year of scientific operations, and beyond "breaking" cosmology, the telescope has also delivered some of the most spectacular photos of deep space ever seen.
Our Favorite PetaPixel Stories of 2023
This year has been a fascinating one in the world of photography, and like every year, it was full of incredible highs, devastating lows, and everything in between.
NASA Milky Way Photo Turned Into Sheet Music You Can Play
Although sophisticated telescopes like the Chandra X-ray Observatory, Hubble, and Spitzer have delivered people a more advanced understanding of the cosmos, the night sky and its infinite reach continue to enchant and amaze people from all walks of life, including artists.
Photographer Spends 15 Years Capturing the Construction of the James Webb Space Telescope
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) was 30 years in the making and now as it orbits the Sun delivering incredible imagery of the Universe a photographer who documented its construction has revealed his jaw-dropping pictures.
Scientists Discover the Most Distant Black Hole Ever Seen in X-rays
By combining data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and the James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers have discovered the most distant black hole ever detected in X-rays.
Webb’s Spectacular and Beautiful Views of the Crab Nebula and M83
It has been a busy week for the James Webb Space Telescope. Fresh images of the Crab Nebula and the Messier 83 spiral galaxy have been shared, showcasing incredible new views of the cosmos.
Webb Snaps Never-Before-Seen Feature in Jupiter’s Atmosphere
The James Webb Space Telescope has discovered a high-speed jet stream in Jupiter's lower stratosphere, approximately 25 miles above the planet's clouds.
Webb Space Telescope Captures Ethereal View of a Stellar Nursery
Among the James Webb Space Telescope's many scientific objectives are providing astronomers and physicists unprecedented looks at areas where stars are being born. These stellar nurseries are not only of great scientific importance, but they are also visually spectacular.
The Orion Nebula Is Full of Binary Pairs of ‘Planets’ That ‘Shouldn’t Exist’
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has captured new images of the Orion Nebula that are visually stunning and a treasure trove for astronomers that shows cosmic objects that defy explanation.
National Geographic’s Space Issue Finds Humanity in the Vast Expanse
National Geographic's special Space issue is available now, full of amazing stories and images all about space. From articles about how the James Webb Space Telescope is rewriting astronomy and astrophysics to humankind's return to the Moon as part of the NASA Artemis mission, the NatGeo space issue has something for everyone with interest in the universe.
Photo of a Cosmic Whirlpool Offers New Details on Star Formation
The James Webb Space Telescope's Mid-InfraRed Instrument (MIRI) and Near-InfraRed Camera (NIRCam) have captured the graceful, well-defined bending arms of the grand-design spiral galaxy M51, also known as NGC 5194.
Webb Photographs the Ring Nebula in Unprecedented Detail
The James Webb Space Telescope has observed the Ring Nebula in spectacular, unprecedented detail using its Near-InfraRed Camera (NIRCam) and Mid-InfraRed Instrument (MIRI) imagers.
How Two Astrophotographers Discovered a New Nebula
"It is a very common misconception amongst people that the night sky has been explored in its entirety by the great professional space observatories like James Webb, Hubble, NASA, and ESA. People think there is nothing left for the average person to go out and discover in space. But this couldn't be further from the truth," says astrophotographer Bray Falls.
Webb Unveils Strange Distant Galaxies in Incredible New Detail
Webb's new infrared image of the galaxy cluster "El Gordo" ("the Fat One") showcases hundreds of galaxies, some of which have never been seen before in such detail. Using its Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam), Webb has used the gravitational lensing created by El Gordo to see distant background galaxies more clearly, offering scientists a unique look at the distant universe.
The Euclid Telescope’s Successful First Test Shows Its Awesome Potential
Nearly a month after launching from Cape Canaveral, the European Space Agency's new space probe, Euclid, has sent its first test images to Earth, and they are spectacular.
Webb’s Photo of This Influential Galaxy Teaches a lot About the Early Universe
The James Webb Space Telescope recently captured a colorful image of the irregular galaxy NGC 6822. Using its Near InfraRed Camera (NIRCam) and Mid-InfraRed Instrument (MIRI), Webb observed different aspects of NGC 6822, including gas-rich regions and specific organic compounds critical for star and planetary formation.
How Editors Blend Art and Science to Bring NASA’s Space Photos to Life
Since it began its full scientific operations at the second Lagrange point (L2), about one million miles (1.5 million kilometers) from Earth last year, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has enchanted people around the world. Webb's photos have inspired many people to learn more about space and look at the night sky with unprecedented wonder and curiosity.
Saturn’s Rings Are Disappearing: Photograph Them While You Can
Astrophotographers are going to want to photograph Saturn's rings sooner rather than later since they're going to disappear in more ways than one after this summer.
Netflix Drops Trailer for Documentary About James Webb Space Telescope
Netflix unveiled its trailer for an upcoming documentary about the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) that will mark the groundbreaking camera's one-year anniversary.
Webb Captures a Colorful Cosmic Clash of the Titans
While people in Canada and the United States recently celebrated national holidays with fireworks, the James Webb Space Telescope observed a violent cosmic explosion more than 120 million light-years from Earth.
Euclid Space Telescope to Shed Light on Mysterious Dark Universe
After more than a decade of work by over 2,000 scientists from 300 institutes around the world, the European Space Agency (ESA) is mere hours away from launching its new space probe, Euclid, from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Webb Spots Crucial Carbon Molecule in Space for the First Time
An international team of scientists has used the James Webb Space Telescope's incredible imaging instruments to detect a new carbon compound in space for the first time. The compound, known as methyl cation (CH3+), is a vital molecule for more complex carbon-based molecules.