NASA released a new image of Uranus from the James Webb Space Telescope, detailing the complexity of the gas giant with its rings and moons.
The photo of the planet was released on Monday and expands on an image of the planet released by the space agency earlier this year. The image shows the planet’s rings, including the Zeta ring, which NASA says is the “extremely faint and diffuse ring closest to the planet.”
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NASA says Uranus has the most extreme seasons in the solar system because it spins in all directions at a 98-degree tilt. The space agency also says the Webb telescope helps scientists see the special features of the planet with “groundbreaking new clarity.”
The new images reveal detailed features of Uranus’s seasonal north polar cap, as well as bright storms near and below the southern border of the cap. If humans want to send a spacecraft to visit Uranus up close, it’s necessary to understand how to navigate debris from its rings. pic.twitter.com/tvqcZCYTwD
— NASA Webb Telescope (@NASAWebb) December 18, 2023
“With Webb’s unparalleled infrared resolution and sensitivity, astronomers now see Uranus and its unique features with groundbreaking new clarity. These details, especially of the close-in Zeta ring, will be invaluable to planning any future missions to Uranus,” NASA said in a blog post.
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NASA launched the James Webb Space Telescope into space in December 2021, and the space agency has been publishing images from the telescope since July 2022, touting its advanced capabilities and high-quality instruments.
Pictures released by NASA from the telescope have shown the scale and complexity of the cosmos. The telescope has made several breakthroughs as scientists seek to understand the formation of the universe and other scientific inquiries.
