Webb Images

Webb's science images and a number of other curated galleries of Webb's build.

A crowded field of galaxies is interspersed with bright 8-pointed stars on a dark background. The galaxies and stars come in a variety of sizes and colors, ranging from bluish white to orange. Some galaxies are large enough to make out spiral arms, while others look like faint smudges or pinpricks. The most prominent feature is a large, detailed spiral galaxy called LEDA 2046648, seen at an oblique angle towards the bottom of the frame. A smaller spiral galaxy is just below it. About one-quarter the size of its larger companion, this small galaxy looks like a miniature version of LEDA 2046648. Both of these spiral galaxies have glowing cores and areas of star formation lighting up their pale pink arms.
A crowded field of galaxies is interspersed with bright 8-pointed stars on a dark background. The galaxies and stars come in a variety of sizes and colors, ranging from bluish white to orange. Some galaxies are large enough to make out spiral arms, while others look like faint smudges or pinpricks. The most prominent feature is a large, detailed spiral galaxy called LEDA 2046648, seen at an oblique angle towards the bottom of the frame. A smaller spiral galaxy is just below it. About one-quarter the size of its larger companion, this small galaxy looks like a miniature version of LEDA 2046648. Both of these spiral galaxies have glowing cores and areas of star formation lighting up their pale pink arms.
Taken during instrument calibration, this image helped test Webb's ability to dig up galactic "fossils." Ancient galaxies are so far that as space expands, their light has stretched into infrared wavelengths — Webb's specialty. Did that large spiral galaxy towards the bottom of the image catch your eye? Named LEDA 2046648, it’s a little over a billion light-years from Earth and located in the constellation Hercules. Using images such as this one, scientists can compare galactic “dinosaurs” with modern galaxies. In turn, this helps us learn more about how galaxies evolve — making Webb the ultimate space paleontologist. Read more and download here: esawebb.org/images/potm2301a/
ESA/Webb, NASA and CSA, A. Martel.


Latest Images - 2024

Webb's most recent images released by NASA in 2024, displayed in reverse chronological order.

The image below is a SLIDESHOW. Hover over the image to see the image title and controls. Click the image to go to a detail page with more info and the ability to download the image at various resolutions (click downward arrow in lower right corner).

NASA's Webb Reveals Distorted Galaxy Forming Cosmic Question Mark (NIRCam)


2023 Images

Webb images released by NASA in 2023.

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NASA's Webb Rings in the Holidays with the Ringed Planet Uranus


2022 Images

Webb images released by NASA in 2022.

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Pillars of Creation (NIRCam and MIRI Composite Image)


First Images

Webb's very first science images released by NASA in July 2022.

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NASA’s Webb Reveals Cosmic Cliffs, Glittering Landscape of Star Birth


Engineering and Test Images

These engineering and test images were that were used to align the mirrors and calibrate instruments which were some of the first light to pass through the telescopes optics.

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Webb’s Fine Guidance Sensor Provides a Serendipitous Preview


Webb's Road to Launch

A curated gallery of the activities leading up to it's launch on December 25, 2021.

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Humanity’s Last Glimpse of the James Webb Space Telescope


Story Of Webb's Build

A curated gallery of over a decade of images of Webb's design, build, test and integration leading to it's launch on December 25, 2021.

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James Webb Space Telescope Primary Mirror Prepared for Testing at Johnson Space Center