James Webb Space Telescope vs Hubble: How Will Their Images Compare?

carina nebula
PIxabay / Saif_sr4

Both the Hubble Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope have made great contributions to the field of astronomy.

James Webb Space Telescope vs Hubble Space Telescope

The Webb telescope can actually be considered Hubble's scientific successor, as its scientific goals were driven by Hubble's results. While the Hubble was optimized for visible and shorter UV light wavelengths, the JWST maximizes infrared technology, enabling a deeper view of the universe from an infrared lens.

There are several galaxies, nebulas, and the like that both telescopes have captured. Despite having the same object of focus, the images captured by the two telescopes are completely different from each other. Let's take a deeper look and compare the shots taken by both the Hubble and Webb Telescope

Southern Ring Nebula

The Southern Ring Nebula, which is a huge cloud made of gas and dust that dying stars expelled, is roughly 2,500 light years away. It was through the JWST's shot that it was revealed that a dust cloak covered the dimmer star situated at the center.

SMACS 0723


Situated 4.6 billion light years away, this cluster in the far universe consists of thousands of galaxies. According to NASA, the composite image of Hubble takes two weeks to pull off. On the other hand, it only took the James Webb Space Telescope 12.5 hours.

Carina Nebula

The Carina nebula is situated at the edge of the NGC 3324 region where stars form. It is around 7,500 light years away. JWST's shot reveals areas of star formation that were previously invisible.

Stephan's Quintet

Stephan's Quintet covers five galaxies that are roughly 40 million to 290 million light years away. JWST's shot of this cosmic wonder is its largest one so far, as the image covers around one-fifth of the diameter of the moon. The composite of Webb consists of nearly 1,000 different images. It reveals novel details regarding the interaction of the galaxies.

Pillars of Creation

The Hubble Space Telescope first captured the Pillars of Creation back in 1995. It then revisited the area back in 2014 to showcase a wider and sharper view in visible light. The JWST then took another snap of the scene and enabled astronomers to look deeper into the dust found in this area of star formation.


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