Science Releases

The James Webb Space Telescope launched on Dec. 25 at 7:20 a.m. EST Saturday on an Ariane 5 rocket from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, South America.

Researchers will examine three active supermassive black holes – known as quasars – their host galaxies, and their neighborhoods to better detail these distant objects and the conditions of the early universe

Detailed atmospheric studies will provide key insights into some of the most common – and mysterious – planets known in the galaxy.

Webb will tackle the challenge of the supermassive black hole’s puzzling flares, which have proved both intriguing and frustrating for astronomers.

Researchers will observe more than a dozen protoplanetary systems to gather data about their inner disks – where Earth-like planets may be forming

This ambitious program will study half a million galaxies in a field the size of three full Moons

Researchers will take stock of the dust in the debris disk surrounding the nearby star Beta Pictoris.

Looking back in time, Webb will see quasars as they appeared billions of years ago 

The nearby Orion Bar is a typical example of a region influenced by young, massive stars

Webb will probe the outer realm of exoplanetary systems, investigating known planets and hunting for new worlds

Selected programs describe what Webb will study for much of its first year in space

Researchers using NASA's upcoming James Webb Space Telescope will map and model the core of nearby galaxy Centaurus A.

Early observations of stars in the local universe will pave the way for years of discovery across a range of science topics

Deep-sky survey seeks to answer some of astronomy's most pressing questions

Researchers will conduct a survey to compare planet-forming disks.