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.
Captured by Hubble
This speckled area, called NGC 1850, is a 100-million-year-old globular cluster approximately 160,000 light-years away.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Captured by JWST
These fire-like clouds have been captured by the JWST several times before, and each image has been absolutely spectacular.
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.