This post was originally published on here
This Hubble image captures incredible details in the dusty clouds in the outskirts of a star-forming region called the Tarantula Nebula in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a dwarf galaxy that is located about 160 000 light-years away in the constellations Dorado and Mensa. (NASA/ESA/CSA et al. via SWNS)
By Dean Murray
Space scientists have shown off their pictures of the year – by sharing twelve months of cosmic wonders.
The European Space Agency (ESA) have put together highlights of exciting images and discoveries from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope and the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope missions.
Presented in calendar form they showcase beautiful imagery from both missions, and includes imagery of planets, star clusters, galaxies, and more.
Starry highlights include a jaw-dropping Hubble image of the Sombrero Galaxy and a Webb telescope view of the planetary nebula NGC 6072 that features multiple outflows expanding out at different angles from a dying star at the center of the scene.
(NASA/ESA/CSA et al. via SWNS)
January:
As part of Hubble’s 35th anniversary celebrations, ESA/Hubble published a new image of the star cluster NGC 346, featuring new data and processing techniques. This prolific star factory is in the Small Magellanic Cloud, one of the largest of the Milky Way’ satellite galaxies.
(NASA/ESA/CSA et al. via SWNS)
February:
This image from Webb features a mega-monster galaxy cluster known as Abell S1063, lying 4.5 billion light-years from Earth in the constellation Grus. The dense collection of heavy galaxies is surrounded by glowing streaks of light, and these warped arcs demonstrate gravitational lensing.
(NASA/ESA/CSA et al. via SWNS)
March:
To celebrate Webb’s third year of highly productive science in July 2025, astronomers used the telescope to scratch beyond the surface of the Cat’s Paw Nebula (NGC 6334), a massive, local star-forming region.
(NASA/ESA/CSA et al. via SWNS)
April:
To celebrate Webb’s third year of highly productive science in July 2025, astronomers used the telescope to scratch beyond the surface of the Cat’s Paw Nebula (NGC 6334), a massive, local star-forming region.
(NASA/ESA/CSA et al. via SWNS)
May:
In these Webb images taken in December 2023, our Solar System’s largest planet shows off new details in its auroras (shown in the left image), which are hundreds of times brighter than those seen on Earth.
(NASA/ESA/CSA et al. via SWNS)
June:
Called Pismis 24, this young star cluster resides in the core of the nearby Lobster Nebula, approximately 5,500 light-years from Earth in the constellation Scorpius. Home to a vibrant stellar nursery and one of the closest sites of massive star birth, Webb provides us with rare insights into large and massive stars.
(NASA/ESA/CSA et al. via SWNS)
July:
Located around 30 million light-years away in the constellation Virgo, this Hubble image features the Sombrero Galaxy. Viewed nearly edge on, the galaxy'[s softly luminous bulge and sharply outlined disc resemble the rounded crown and broad brim of the Mexican hat from which the galaxy gets its name.
(NASA/ESA/CSA et al. via SWNS)
August:
This image set showcases three views of the Butterfly Nebula, also called NGC 6302. The first and second of the three images shown feature the nebula in optical and near-infrared light captured by Hubble. The Webb image on the right zooms in on the object’s center.
(NASA/ESA/CSA et al. via SWNS)
September:
This image was shared by ESA/Hubble as part of Hubble’s 35th anniversary celebrations and incorporates new data processing techniques. It shows a small portion of the Eagle Nebula that is 9.5 light-years long and 7,000 light-years away from Earth. This vast stellar nursery displays a towering spire of cosmic gas and dust.
(NASA/ESA/CSA et al. via SWNS)
October:
Hubble captures in exquisite detail a face-on view of the remarkable-looking galaxy NGC 5335 in this image. This is a flocculent spiral galaxy with patchy streamers of star formation across its disc. A notable bar structure slices across the center of the galaxy.
(NASA/ESA/CSA et al. via SWNS)
November:
This image shows Webb’s view of the planetary nebula NGC 6072 in the near-infrared. It highlights a complex scene of multiple outflows expanding out at different angles from a dying star at the center of the scene. These outflows push gas toward the equatorial plane, forming a disc.
(NASA/ESA/CSA et al. via SWNS)
