The Southern Ring Nebula

A planetary nebula about 2,500 light-years away; Webb's infrared imaging revealed that the shells of gas were shaped by a fainter companion to the dying central star.

Instrument: NIRCam & MIRI · Near- and mid-infrared

• A glowing, cliff-like edge of orange gas and dust below a starry blue expanse, with newborn stars sparkling throughout.

  Carina Nebula (NGC 3372)

  Public Domain

  Cosmic Cliffs in the Carina Nebula

  NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI

• A dark field scattered with thousands of galaxies of many colours; several appear stretched into arcs by gravitational lensing.

  Galaxy cluster SMACS 0723

  Public Domain

  Webb's First Deep Field (SMACS 0723)

  NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI

• Four interacting galaxies clustered together with a fifth foreground galaxy, amid countless background stars and galaxies.

  Stephan's Quintet (galaxy group)

  Public Domain

  Stephan's Quintet

  NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI

• Three towering columns of dark, dense gas and dust silhouetted against glowing greenish nebulosity.

  Eagle Nebula (Messier 16)

  Public Domain

  Pillars of Creation (Hubble, 1995)

  NASA, ESA, STScI

• A tangled, glowing web of orange, yellow, and blue filaments expanding outward from a central region.

  Crab Nebula (Messier 1)

  Public Domain

  The Crab Nebula (M1)

  NASA, ESA, STScI

• Jupiter in infrared, with glowing polar aurorae, bright cloud bands, and faint rings.

  Jupiter

  Public Domain

  Jupiter (James Webb Space Telescope)

  NASA, ESA, CSA, Jupiter ERS Team