Another incredible year of science and imagery

The fourth year of Webb’s science operations has delivered further groundbreaking science and discoveries from places across the Universe. Astronomers found new evidence for a planet orbiting Alpha Centauri, just four light-years away from our Sun. Webb showcased eight spectacular gravitational lenses out of an in-depth survey that identified hundreds of candidates. By looking into the cradles of star clusters in nearby galaxies, scientists found that more massive clusters emerge faster; meanwhile in our own Solar System, Webb mapped the upper atmosphere and auroras of Uranus.

In the early Universe, Webb revealed a black hole that formed before its galaxy did, providing new evidence for how supermassive black holes originated, and identified a supernova occurring just 730 million years after the Big Bang — the earliest to date. Researchers presented the strongest evidence yet that some of the “little red dots” discovered by Webb in 2022 are rapidly growing black holes enveloped in dense gas cocoons. Webb also took a fresh look at the Hubble Ultra Deep Field, resulting in a new view that reveals thousands of distant galaxies dating back to the earliest periods of cosmic history.

Among the unique images produced by Webb over the last year were the gossamer nebulae around a planet-forming disc, intricate details in the edge of the Helix Nebula, the complex heart of a cosmic butterfly and young stars across every stage of formation. Webb highlighted a beacon of light in the swirls of galaxy Messier 77, and details of the stellar lifecycle in galaxy NGC 5134. Webb and Hubble also joined forces to share the most comprehensive view of Saturn to date, showing layers and storms in its atmosphere.