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.

Webb Image Galleries

This page contains slideshow galleries of Webb's latest science images as well as curated galleries of other specific topics. More information on Webb Images.

Latest Images 2024
Images 2023
Images 2022
First Images
Engineering/Test Images
The Road to Launch
Webb's Build
Other Webb Imagery Links
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).

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


2023 Images

Webb images released by NASA in 2023.

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).

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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.

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).

View Slideshow as Thumbnail Gallery (new tab)
Pillars of Creation (NIRCam and MIRI Composite Image)


First Images

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

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).

View Slideshow as Thumbnail Gallery (new tab)
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.

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).

View Slideshow as Thumbnail Gallery (new tab)
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.

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).

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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.

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).

View Slideshow as Thumbnail Gallery (new tab)
James Webb Space Telescope Primary Mirror Prepared for Testing at Johnson Space Center
NEW - Webb Observation tracking TOOL

What is Webb Observing?

See current, upcoming and recent past observations scientists are making with the Webb Space Telescope. View details about each observation's science focus areas, the instruments used and more. 

View the Tool
Two side-by-side images of the same region of space. Superimposed on each is a simple, white line drawing of a telescope. Left: Drawing of the Hubble Space Telescope on a Hubble image showing numerous stars and a hazy blue to brown cloud of gas and dust. Right: Drawing of the Webb Space Telescope on a Webb image showing numerous stars and a pinkish yellow to brown cloud of gas and dust. The Webb image shows a more filamentous and billowy structure. There is no clear boundary between the two images.
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