James Webb reveals spectacular and detailed image of Uranus

The James Webb Telescope has been in space for over a year and it can already be said that the mission is a complete success. Because it has already delivered countless scientifically important and optically spectacular pictures – also from our immediate vicinity.

Because the European Space Agency ESA has published an infrared image of Uranus that can only be described as spectacular. This is not only visually fantastic, thanks to its wealth of detail it also provides new insights into the seventh planet in our solar system. Because the ice giant shows its atmosphere over the north polar region, its ring system and several moons.

The picture with explanations

It is of course not the first time that Uranus has been photographed. Thanks to probes flying by, this has even happened at close range in the past. However, compared to what it is today and what James Webb owns, the photographic equipment on board was downright primitive. This is also the reason why various secrets can still be elicited from Uranus today.

“The Webb data demonstrate the observatory’s unprecedented sensitivity to the faintest dusty rings, previously imaged only by two other facilities: the Voyager 2 spacecraft, which flew by the planet in 1986, and the Keck Observatory, which uses advanced adaptive optics,” writes the ESA.

Uranus in new details

The rings are still relatively new to our eyes: when the Voyager 2 probe examined Uranus, its instruments and optics showed an almost featureless blue-green sphere: “With Webb’s infrared wavelengths and added sensitivity, we are seeing more detail that shows how dynamic Uranus’ atmosphere really is,” ESA writes today.
The complete image taken by James Webb of Uranus and the surrounding area

Uranus also has something unique and enigmatic to offer, most notably its polar cap: it appears to appear when the pole gets direct sunlight in summer and disappears again in autumn. The Webb data will help scientists better understand this still enigmatic mechanism. Those who are not quite so interested in the scientific background will also get their money’s worth: Because the photograph of Uranus, on which eleven of its 13 rings and several of the 27 known moons can be seen, is simply one thing: a unique sight.

See also:

Space, Astronautics, Nasa, Satellite, Solar, Telescope, Solar Cell, Solar Panel, James Webb, Solar Panel, James Webb Telescope, James Webb Space Telescope, Mirror