What A Shot

10 Breathtaking Images Of Galaxies, Nebulas, And More Captured In 2022

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and Hubble Space Telescope gave us some astounding images of the world beyond Earth in 2022.

by Devan McGuinness
Updated: 
Originally Published: 
NASA

2022 was an incredible year for astrophotgraphy. From the release of the first images captured by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope — the largest of its kind — to those captured by the Hubble Space Telescope, we were able to peer further into the cosmos than ever before. Here are ten breathtaking images.

NASA, ESA, CSA, and STScI

100 Million-Year-Old Star Cluster

Captured by Hubble

This speckled area, called NGC 1850, is a 100-million-year-old globular cluster approximately 160,000 light-years away.

NASA, ESA and N. Bastian (Donostia International Physics Center); Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America)

The Pillars of Creation

Captured by JWST

While this image looks like a solid mountain, it’s actually a space cloud of dust and gas located in the Eagle Nebula 7,000 light years away.

NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI; Joseph DePasquale (STScI), Anton M. Koekemoer (STScI), Alyssa Pagan (STScI).
Looks Like New Year’s Eve Fireworks!

Captured by Hubble

This gorgeous bundle of threads is a collection of dust and gas left over from the death of the supernova known as DEM L 190.

ESA/Hubble & NASA, S. Kulkarni, Y. Chu

A Wreath Of Stars and Dazzling Swirls

Captured by JWST

The space object known as NGC 7469 is roughly 220 million light-years from Earth. It has an active galactic nucleus in the center.

ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, L. Armus, A. S. Evans

The Carina Nebula

Captured by Hubble

Approximately 7,500 light-years from Earth, the Carina Nebula was first discovered in 1752, and is a collection of dust and gasses.

NASA, ESA, and A. Kraus (University of Texas at Austin); Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America)
A Star Being Born

Captured by JWST

Here we see what happens when a protostar collides with dust and gasses. Its temperature will increase until reaching nuclear fusion — the final stage that will turn the protostar into a star.

NASA, ESA, CSA, and STScI. Image processing: J. DePasquale, A. Pagan, and A. Koekemoer (STScI)

An Out Of This World Spiral Galaxy

Captured by Hubble

The spiral galaxy known as NGC 6956 is 214 million light-years away and full of stars that dim and brighten at regular periods.

NASA, ESA, and D. Jones (University of California – Santa Cruz); Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America)
Another Look at the Pillars

Captured by JWST

These fire-like clouds have been captured by the JWST several times before, and each image has been absolutely spectacular.

NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI IMAGE PROCESSING: Joseph DePasquale (STScI), Alyssa Pagan (STScI), Anton M. Koekemoer (STScI)

The Technicolor Lagoon Nebula

Captured by Hubble

It looks like a gorgeous watercolor painting, but it’s a collection of thousands of stars in the Lagoon Nebula, 4,350 light-years away from Earth.

ESA/Hubble & NASA, O. De Marco; Acknowledgment: M.H. Özsaraç

Gaze Deep Into The Orion Nebula

Captured by JWST

The Orion Nebula, which lies some 1,300 light-years away from Earth, is known as a star-forming area, and it’s never been seen with so much detail before.

NASA, ESA, CSA/Data reduction and analysis: PDRs4All ERS Team; graphical processing S. Fuenmayor

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