Like the Hubble Telescope, the Webb travels through space in a stable orbit; unlike Hubble, it isn't orbiting around Earth. In fact, the Webb is orbiting around the sun, but in a way that allows it to always be in line with the Earth. While difficult to conceptualize, this visualization shows both the real-time position of the telescope and traces its orbital trajectory relative to our planet.
James Webb Telescope
Video Gallery
A collection of videos about James Webb Telescope
James Webb Space Telescope explained
3:56Launched by NASA in 2021, images from the 14,000-pound Webb Space Telescope have transformed theories of star formation, black holes, and more—while revealing jaw-dropping shots of the cosmos and inspiring a new generation of space fans. Curious about NASA's James Webb Space Telescope? 1440 provides a breakdown of how it works.
Dive Deeper
Relevant articles, podcasts, videos, and more from around the internet — curated and summarized by our team
Humankind's imagination has long been captured by space, what lies beyond our solar system, and what its nature is. At the same time, the sheer enormity of the universe escapes our ability to conceive of its scale. This interactive provides an intuitive sense of how small we are, from a single astronaut to the Milky Way and beyond.
NASA Webb Telescope
Images from the James Webb Space Telescope
While the James Webb Telescope collects an astounding amount of scientific data, a major part of its allure is its ability to return stunning, high-resolution images, from nearby stars to the oldest structures in the universe. Explore the full gallery of Webb images, with shots that have captured the American public’s imagination and lead to breakthroughs in our understanding of the cosmos.
Astronomical advances have both captured humanity’s fascination for millennia, from Copernicus to Edwin Hubble, while raising fundamental—and sometimes unsettling—questions about our place in the universe. With its ability to gaze back to the beginning of the universe, the James Webb is likely to reshape our beliefs about our own world and possibly even ourselves.
While the Italian polymath Galileo Galilei did not patent the first telescope—that was Hans Lipperhey, who patented it as a spyglass—Galileo was the first to rigorously study the skies with one, enabling him to discover Jupiter's four moons. His discoveries challenged established views and revolutionized science. Learn how the telescope upended humanity's view of itself and challenged conventions in 16th-century Italy.
CEERS Survey
Zoom from Earth to Maisie's galaxy
Discovered by the Webb Telescope in 2022, Maise’s Galaxy (named after the nine-year-old daughter of the scientist who discovered it) was found as part of a survey of a section of the universe known as the Extended Growth Strip, home to thousands of galaxies. This video takes you from Earth to Maise’s galaxy, formed roughly 300 million years after the birth of the universe.
Explore all James Webb Telescope
Search and uncover even more interesting information in our vast database of curated James Webb Telescope resources