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
HH 30 (MIRI & NIRCam image)
Science & Exploration

Webb investigates a dusty and dynamic disc

04/02/2025 7489 views 50 likes
Read
NGC 346 (Webb)
Science & Exploration

Planet-forming discs lived longer in early Universe

16/12/2024 3823 views 32 likes
Read
Galaxy cluster MACS J1423 (NIRCam image)
Science & Exploration

Webb finds primeval star-forming galaxy that is lightweight

11/12/2024 3690 views 48 likes
Read
Spiderweb Protocluster (NIRCam)
Science & Exploration

Webb finds surprises in Spiderweb protocluster field

04/12/2024 5589 views 51 likes
Read
Sombrero galaxy (MIRI)
Science & Exploration

Sombrero Galaxy dazzles in new Webb image

25/11/2024 12060 views 97 likes
Read
Webb and Hubble images overlapping
Science & Exploration

Webb and Hubble examine spooky galaxy pair

31/10/2024 4250 views 59 likes
Read
NGC 602 (NIRCam and MIRI image)
Science & Exploration

First young brown dwarfs found outside the Milky Way?

23/10/2024 9818 views 99 likes
Read
Galaxy GS-NDG-9422
Science & Exploration

Webb finds potential missing link to first stars

25/09/2024 3784 views 68 likes
Read
Exoplanet Epsilon Indi Ab (MIRI image)
Science & Exploration

Webb images new, cold exoplanet 12 light-years away

24/07/2024 13388 views 65 likes
Read
Vivid Webb portrait of interacting galaxies Pinguin and Egg
Science & Exploration

Vivid Webb portrait of interacting galaxies Penguin and Egg

12/07/2024 6074 views 41 likes
Read
Science & Exploration

Jupiter’s upper atmosphere surprises astronomers

25/06/2024 8989 views 33 likes
Read
Science & Exploration

Webb captures star clusters in Cosmic Gems arc

24/06/2024 9340 views 36 likes
Read
Science & Exploration

Webb snaps first image of aligned jets from newborn stars

20/06/2024 2260 views 10 likes
Read
Science & Exploration

Webb finds surprising ingredients around young star

06/06/2024 1250 views 7 likes
Read
ZS7 environment (NIRcam image)
Science & Exploration

Webb detects most distant black hole merger to date

16/05/2024 29823 views 107 likes
Read
Science & Exploration

Webb hints at atmosphere around rocky exoplanet

08/05/2024 3436 views 26 likes
Read
Science & Exploration

Webb captures iconic Horsehead Nebula in unprecedented deta…

29/04/2024 205720 views 165 likes
Read
Science & Exploration

Webb probes galaxy teeming with newborn stars

03/04/2024 1284 views 9 likes
Read
NGC 5468 – Cepheid host galaxy
Science & Exploration

Webb & Hubble confirm Universe’s expansion rate

11/03/2024 51599 views 73 likes
Read
Science & Exploration

Webb unlocks secrets of primeval galaxy

04/03/2024 4174 views 35 likes
Read
Science & Exploration

Webb finds dwarf galaxies reionised the Universe

28/02/2024 10806 views 68 likes
Read
Science & Exploration

Webb finds clues of neutron star at heart of supernova remn…

22/02/2024 4004 views 34 likes
Read
Science & Exploration

Webb reveals structure in 19 spiral galaxies

29/01/2024 20620 views 86 likes
Read
Science & Exploration

Webb: galaxy mergers solve early Universe mystery

18/01/2024 3210 views 18 likes
Read
Science & Exploration

Webb discovers dusty cat’s tail in Beta Pictoris system

10/01/2024 1251 views 2 likes
Read
Science & Exploration

Webb rings in the holidays with the ringed planet Uranus

18/12/2023 18789 views 136 likes
Read
Science & Exploration

Webb identifies tiniest free-floating brown dwarf

13/12/2023 6394 views 82 likes
Read
Science & Exploration

Researchers stunned by Webb's view of exploded star

11/12/2023 10120 views 179 likes
Read
Science & Exploration

Webb study reveals rocky planets can form in extreme enviro…

30/11/2023 8072 views 100 likes
Read
Science & Exploration

Webb reveals new features in heart of the Milky Way

20/11/2023 8004 views 177 likes
Read
Science & Exploration

Webb sees Crab Nebula in new light

30/10/2023 10537 views 146 likes
Read
Kilonova and host galaxy (clean)
Science & Exploration

Webb's first detection of heavy element from star merger

25/10/2023 7572 views 108 likes
Read
Science & Exploration

Webb pinpoints a high-speed jet stream on Jupiter

19/10/2023 15007 views 101 likes
Read
Science & Exploration

Webb’s wide-angle view of the Orion Nebula is released in E…

02/10/2023 146018 views 444 likes
Read
Europa (NIRCam image)
Science & Exploration

Webb finds carbon source on surface of Jupiter’s moon Europa

21/09/2023 37883 views 169 likes
Read
Exoplanet K2-18 b (Illustration)
Science & Exploration

Webb discovers methane and carbon dioxide in atmosphere of …

11/09/2023 18785 views 114 likes
Read
Webb captures detailed beauty of Ring Nebula (NIRCam image)
Science & Exploration

Webb captures detailed beauty of Ring Nebula

21/08/2023 32594 views 225 likes
Read
Artist’s impression of the PDS 70 system
Science & Exploration

Webb detects water vapour in rocky planet-forming zone

24/07/2023 6558 views 113 likes
Read
Galaxy JADES-GS-z6 in the GOODS-S field: JADES (NIRCam image)
Science & Exploration

Webb sees carbon-rich dust grains in the first billion year…

19/07/2023 5729 views 91 likes
Read
Science & Exploration

Webb celebrates first year of science with close-up on the …

12/07/2023 8011 views 170 likes
Read
The Orion Bar region (NIRCam image)
Science & Exploration

Webb makes first detection of crucial carbon molecule in a …

26/06/2023 24719 views 143 likes
Read
Science & Exploration

Webb maps surprisingly large plume jetting from Saturn’s mo…

30/05/2023 9066 views 137 likes
Read
Science & Exploration

Webb finds water, and a new mystery, in rare main-belt comet

15/05/2023 10544 views 132 likes
Read
Science & Exploration

Webb looks for Fomalhaut’s asteroid belt and finds much more

08/05/2023 15154 views 126 likes
Read
Zoomed-in image of Uranus
Science & Exploration

Webb scores another ringed world with new image of Uranus

06/04/2023 27585 views 148 likes
Read
Rocky exoplanet TRAPPIST-1 b (illustration)
Science & Exploration

Webb measures the temperature of a rocky exoplanet

27/03/2023 12903 views 96 likes
Read
Wolf-Rayet 124 (NIRCam and MIRI composite image)
Science & Exploration

Webb captures rarely seen prelude to a supernova

14/03/2023 19485 views 213 likes
Read
Science & Exploration

Webb reveals intricate networks of gas and dust in nearby g…

16/02/2023 7037 views 105 likes
Read
Science & Exploration

Webb detects extremely small main-belt asteroid

06/02/2023 12390 views 125 likes
Read
Science & Exploration

Webb unveils dark side of pre-stellar ice chemistry

23/01/2023 7847 views 88 likes
Read
1 2 3 >