Sky's Up Global Astronomy Magazine Volume V (July 2022) | Page 8

wonderful universe

wonderful universe

A whole new view of the Universe

— Compiled by MARCELO DE OLIVEIRA SOUZA — For a long time , we marveled at the images and data produced by the Hubble Space Telescope . Few years ago , there was great expectation about the successor of this wonderful equipment . There were many announcements of possible dates for the launch of its successor , the James Webb Space Telescope . Expectations grew with each announcement . Finally , on December 25 , 2021 , as a Christmas gift to humanity , the James Webb Space Telescope was launched . A new expectation began : When would the first images be sent ? On July 12 , 2022 , the first image obtained by James Webb was released . It was such a special moment that the President of the United States , Joe Biden , took part . On July 13 , new images were released . Over the next few pages , we show the first images obtained by the James Webb Space Telescope :

NASA ’ s Webb reveals cosmic cliffs , glittering landscape of star birth

The image is divided horizontally by an undulating line between a cloudscape forming a nebula along the bottom portion and a comparatively clear upper portion . Speckled across both portions is a starfield , showing innumerable stars of many sizes . The smallest of these are small , distant , and faint points of light . The largest of these appear larger , closer , brighter , and more fully resolved with 8-point diffraction spikes . The upper portion of the image is blueish , and has wispy
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CREDIT : NASA , ESA , CSA , and STScI SOURCE : flickr . com / photos / nasawebbtelescope / 52211883534 / in / album-72177720300469752 /
translucent cloud-like streaks rising from the nebula below . The orangish cloudy formation in the bottom half varies in density and ranges from translucent to opaque . The stars vary in color , the majority of which have a blue or orange hue . The cloud-like structure of the nebula contains ridges , peaks , and valleys – an appearance very similar to a mountain range . Three long diffraction spikes from the top right edge of the image suggest the presence of a large star just out of view .