July 12, 2023
… now we have the technology to see the beginning of another star’s story.
Former James Webb Space Telescope Project Scientist Klaus Pontoppidan on a new image released by NASA on Wednesday showing the “birth” of new stars.
Why It Matters: NASA released a new image from the James Webb Space Telescope of “the closest star-forming region to Earth, where planetary systems like our own could be in the initial stages of forming” (The Washington Post). The image shows “a region containing approximately 50 young stars, all of them similar in mass to the Sun, or smaller,” according to NASA.
One year ago today, the first images from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope were released to the public – the image released marks the one year anniversary from that moment.
Learn more about what the image shows HERE.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said: “In just one year, the James Webb Space Telescope has transformed humanity’s view of the cosmos, peering into dust clouds and seeing light from faraway corners of the universe for the very first time. Every new image is a new discovery, empowering scientists around the globe to ask and answer questions they once could never dream of. … Thousands of engineers, scientists, and leaders poured their life’s passion into this mission, and their efforts will continue to improve our understanding of the origins of the universe – and our place in it.”
Background: The James Webb Space Telescope was launched into space on Christmas Day 2021 and has since traveled to its “parking spot” nearly one million miles away from Earth. It is considered to be the successor to the Hubble Telescope, and was in the making for more than 25 years! Learn more about the telescope HERE.
Webb Celebrates First Year of Science With Close-up on Birth of Sun-like Stars
NASA releases spectacular image to celebrate James Webb Space Telescope
by Jenna Lee,
