ESA title

The mission

The James Webb Space Telescope (Webb) is the next great space science observatory following Hubble, designed to answer outstanding questions about the Universe and to make breakthrough discoveries in all fields of astronomy. Webb will see farther into our origins: from the formation of stars and planets, to the birth of the first galaxies in the early Universe. Webb is an international partnership between NASA, ESA and CSA. The telescope launched on an Ariane 5 from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana.

The launch

  • Launch date: 25 December 2021
  • Launch location: Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana
  • Launch vehicle: Ariane 5
  • Orbit: Lagrange point 2, 1.5 million km from Earth
Webb
JADES-GS-z13-1 in the GOODS-S field (NIRCam image)
Science & Exploration

Webb sees galaxy mysteriously clearing fog of early Universe

26/03/2025 1783 views 43 likes
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The Cosmic Tornado / Herbig-Haro 49/50 (Webb telescope image)
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Webb unmasks true nature of the Cosmic Tornado

24/03/2025 5692 views 55 likes
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HH 30 (MIRI & NIRCam image)
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Webb investigates a dusty and dynamic disc

04/02/2025 9341 views 55 likes
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NGC 346 (Webb)
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Planet-forming discs lived longer in early Universe

16/12/2024 4033 views 33 likes
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Galaxy cluster MACS J1423 (NIRCam image)
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Webb finds primeval star-forming galaxy that is lightweight

11/12/2024 3892 views 49 likes
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Spiderweb Protocluster (NIRCam)
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Webb finds surprises in Spiderweb protocluster field

04/12/2024 5841 views 53 likes
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Sombrero galaxy (MIRI)
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Sombrero Galaxy dazzles in new Webb image

25/11/2024 12691 views 97 likes
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Webb and Hubble images overlapping
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Webb and Hubble examine spooky galaxy pair

31/10/2024 4386 views 59 likes
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NGC 602 (NIRCam and MIRI image)
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First young brown dwarfs found outside the Milky Way?

23/10/2024 10038 views 99 likes
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Galaxy GS-NDG-9422
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Webb finds potential missing link to first stars

25/09/2024 3845 views 68 likes
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Exoplanet Epsilon Indi Ab (MIRI image)
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Webb images new, cold exoplanet 12 light-years away

24/07/2024 13461 views 65 likes
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Vivid Webb portrait of interacting galaxies Pinguin and Egg
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Vivid Webb portrait of interacting galaxies Penguin and Egg

12/07/2024 6191 views 41 likes
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Jupiter’s upper atmosphere surprises astronomers

25/06/2024 9077 views 33 likes
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Webb captures star clusters in Cosmic Gems arc

24/06/2024 9432 views 36 likes
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Webb snaps first image of aligned jets from newborn stars

20/06/2024 2285 views 10 likes
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Webb finds surprising ingredients around young star

06/06/2024 1285 views 7 likes
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ZS7 environment (NIRcam image)
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Webb detects most distant black hole merger to date

16/05/2024 30163 views 107 likes
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Webb hints at atmosphere around rocky exoplanet

08/05/2024 3493 views 26 likes
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Webb captures iconic Horsehead Nebula in unprecedented deta…

29/04/2024 206042 views 166 likes
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Webb probes galaxy teeming with newborn stars

03/04/2024 1329 views 9 likes
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NGC 5468 – Cepheid host galaxy
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Webb & Hubble confirm Universe’s expansion rate

11/03/2024 52173 views 75 likes
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Webb unlocks secrets of primeval galaxy

04/03/2024 4275 views 35 likes
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Webb finds dwarf galaxies reionised the Universe

28/02/2024 10932 views 68 likes
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Webb finds clues of neutron star at heart of supernova remn…

22/02/2024 4042 views 34 likes
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Webb reveals structure in 19 spiral galaxies

29/01/2024 20844 views 86 likes
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Webb: galaxy mergers solve early Universe mystery

18/01/2024 3252 views 18 likes
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Webb discovers dusty cat’s tail in Beta Pictoris system

10/01/2024 1269 views 2 likes
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Webb rings in the holidays with the ringed planet Uranus

18/12/2023 18886 views 136 likes
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Webb identifies tiniest free-floating brown dwarf

13/12/2023 6419 views 82 likes
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Researchers stunned by Webb's view of exploded star

11/12/2023 10167 views 179 likes
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Webb study reveals rocky planets can form in extreme enviro…

30/11/2023 8094 views 100 likes
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Webb reveals new features in heart of the Milky Way

20/11/2023 8038 views 177 likes
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Webb sees Crab Nebula in new light

30/10/2023 10789 views 146 likes
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Kilonova and host galaxy (clean)
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Webb's first detection of heavy element from star merger

25/10/2023 7593 views 108 likes
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Webb pinpoints a high-speed jet stream on Jupiter

19/10/2023 15049 views 101 likes
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Webb’s wide-angle view of the Orion Nebula is released in E…

02/10/2023 147133 views 444 likes
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Europa (NIRCam image)
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Webb finds carbon source on surface of Jupiter’s moon Europa

21/09/2023 37996 views 169 likes
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Exoplanet K2-18 b (Illustration)
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Webb discovers methane and carbon dioxide in atmosphere of …

11/09/2023 19382 views 115 likes
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Webb captures detailed beauty of Ring Nebula (NIRCam image)
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Webb captures detailed beauty of Ring Nebula

21/08/2023 32851 views 225 likes
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Artist’s impression of the PDS 70 system
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Webb detects water vapour in rocky planet-forming zone

24/07/2023 6579 views 113 likes
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Galaxy JADES-GS-z6 in the GOODS-S field: JADES (NIRCam image)
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Webb sees carbon-rich dust grains in the first billion year…

19/07/2023 5750 views 91 likes
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Webb celebrates first year of science with close-up on the …

12/07/2023 8047 views 170 likes
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The Orion Bar region (NIRCam image)
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Webb makes first detection of crucial carbon molecule in a …

26/06/2023 24760 views 143 likes
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Webb maps surprisingly large plume jetting from Saturn’s mo…

30/05/2023 9093 views 137 likes
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Webb finds water, and a new mystery, in rare main-belt comet

15/05/2023 10568 views 132 likes
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Webb looks for Fomalhaut’s asteroid belt and finds much more

08/05/2023 15174 views 126 likes
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Zoomed-in image of Uranus
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Webb scores another ringed world with new image of Uranus

06/04/2023 27742 views 148 likes
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Rocky exoplanet TRAPPIST-1 b (illustration)
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Webb measures the temperature of a rocky exoplanet

27/03/2023 13008 views 96 likes
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Wolf-Rayet 124 (NIRCam and MIRI composite image)
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Webb captures rarely seen prelude to a supernova

14/03/2023 19568 views 213 likes
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Webb reveals intricate networks of gas and dust in nearby g…

16/02/2023 7074 views 105 likes
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