James Webb Space Telescope captures details of distant galaxies
BALTIMORE -- The first images from the James Webb Space Telescope were unveiled Tuesday.
A spectrum of starlight passing through the atmosphere of an exoplanet 1,150 light-years from earth showed the chemical fingerprint of the planet's atmosphere.
A view of the Southern Ring Nebula showed expanding gas and debris. An image of Stephan's Quintet showed the collection of five galaxies in the constellation Pegasus.
NASA's final image showed Carina Nebula with massive young stars and remnants of supernova explosions.
"We know more about the distant universe today than we did yesterday by leaps and bounds," Project Scientist Alex Lockwood said. "Now, we see beauty on another level with structure and so much scientific potential. And, this was just the beginning."
The team at the Space Telescope Science Institute at The Johns Hopkins University Homewood Campus in Baltimore, Maryland, controls the telescope.
"We have people studying stars and galaxies and exoplanets," Lockwood said.
The Baltimore team toasted with champagne and took a group photo in front of the STScI Tuesday following the unveiling of the images.
"Baltimore is the hub of (Webb's) activity," STScI Director Dr. Kenneth Sembach said. "The science activity. The commissioning activity. Right here on the Homewood campus."
Webb launched on Christmas Day 2021 after more than 20 years and $10 billion.
"Today, the universe's reply is, 'Check this out!'" Dr. Sembach said.
Webb will continue to explore other regions of space, including portions of our own solar system, Lockwood said. The first real "scientific" results will be released this fall, she said.
To see the first images from Webb, click here.
