Today's Image

Webb launch photos from the EarthSky community

Posted by
Kelly Kizer Whitt
and
December 27, 2021
Webb launch: White cone-shaped glow on black background with scattered stars.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Soumyadeep Mukherjee and Samit Saha shared this image of Webb rocketing into space on December 25, 2021. Soumyadeep wrote: “JWST captured over West Bengal, India. The image is a stack of 10 images captured by Samit Saha and processed by Soumyadeep Mukherjee.” Thank you, Soumyadeep and Samit!

EarthSky community members were looking up on Christmas. They might not have seen Santa and his sleigh, but they did catch Webb getting a ride into space on an Ariane 5 rocket and have the pictures to prove it. Thanks to all who contributed photos!

Updates on Webb’s month-long journey to L2 here.

EarthSky lunar calendars are back in stock! We’re guaranteed to sell out – get one while you can.

Diagonal white dotted light on black with stars and a small oblong smudge.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Soumyadeep Mukherjee and Samit Saha took this image of Webb and Ariane 5 as it passed a spiral galaxy. Soumyadeep wrote: “Ariane 5 passing the Sculptor Galaxy.” Thank you, Soumyadeep and Samit!
White glow fanning out behind and getting diffuse in black sky.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Prateek Pandey in Bhopal, India, took this image of Webb headed toward L2 on December 25, 2021. Prateek wrote: “Ariane 5 carrying The James Webb Space Telescope.” Thank you, Prateek!
Four images showing a stubby white cone of light with a blue head.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Soumyadeep Mukherjee and Samit Saha took these images of Webb on December 25, 2021. Soumyadeep wrote: “Ariane 5 carrying JWST, sequence captured over 15 minutes. The image shows different stages of the Ariane 5 as it went past the skies of West Bengal, India.” Thank you, Soumyadeep and Samit!

Bottom line: EarthSky community members captured fabulous images of the James Webb Space Telescope as it rocketed into space on its journey to L2.

Posted 
December 27, 2021
 in 
Today's Image

Kelly Kizer Whitt

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About the Author:
Kelly Kizer Whitt writes and edits some of the most fascinating stories at EarthSky.org. She's been writing about science, with a focus on astronomy, for decades. She began her career at Astronomy Magazine and made regular contributions to other outlets, including AstronomyToday and the Sierra Club. She has nine published books, including a children's picture book, Solar System Forecast, and a young adult dystopian novel, A Different Sky.

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