Image details:
Southern Ring Nebula (NIRCam Image)
Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI
https://www.eso.org/public/images/eso0804a/
Mankind tended to stargaze since the ancient times being enchanted, intrigued and inspired by the tales of the heavens. However, space seemed then an inaccessible and a very distant place…
Today, thanks to advancements of science and technology, we managed to reach the sky. This allows us to look at the Earth from a completely different perspective which our predecessors could have only dreamed about. Nevertheless, due to many constrains of various nature, we are not yet cosmic nomads or sailors. Therefore, we constantly develop more and more advanced instruments being our eyes and ears in the Universe.
One of such devices is undoubtedly the James Webb Space Telescope (named after a former, 1961-1968, NASA administrator). It was designed as the successor of the Hubble Space Telescope and finally launched on 25th December 2021 on an Ariane 5 rocket from Kourou Space Port, in French Guiana.
Situated about 1.5 billion kilometres/1 million miles from Earth, in a spot called L2 point, which is a short-cut from Libration/Lagrange Point1, the JWST became a very precious, worth 10 billion dollars, but simultaneously alone discoverer. Contrary to Hubble, its remote location makes that in case of any severe faults, no servicing mission is possible.
In the meantime, the JWST has already proven its scientific value. It has delivered, for example, data allowing astronomers to present the largest map of the early universe (June 2025) or captured the image of the earliest galaxy ever seen, i.e. MoM z14 (May 2025). Moreover, by using two of its cameras and coronographs2, it made a direct image of the HIP 65423b exoplanet (2022), discovered in 2017. Thanks to infrared imaging instruments the telescope also unveiled something what remained invisible in one of the Hubble's most recognizable pictures. Namely, the stars-forming region in the Pillars of Creation (the Eagle Nebula). But it's not the end, as the list of breakthrough discoveries, done this way, is still updated.
According to the recent reports (15th July, 2025) something interesting happens on Proxima B; an exoplanet located "merely" only 4.24 light years away from Earth and orbiting Proxima Centauri; a red dwarf being its parent star. The source of artificial light was detected there by the telescope's instruments. This information touched the scientific community, but not only, and sparked the discussions on the presence of extraterrestrial civilization (ETC) being capable to adapt to conditions on the dark side of Proxima B. Is it then the moment we have been waiting for so long…?
Despite the aroused excitement, further and detailed observations are necessary until we get the final, and surprising or disappointing confirmation. Regardless on this, if everything works fine, the Webb Telescope will, for sure, successfully continue the grand heritage of its renowned and aged ancestor (HST) writing another fascinating chapter in the history of astronomy.
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- 1
- According to meriam-webster dictionary: "any of five positions in the plane of a celestial system consisting of one massive body orbiting another at which the gravitational influences of the two bodies are approximately equal."
- 2
- An astronomical instrument using for the observation of a parent star by blocking out its light.