Unveiling the First Images from the James Webb Space Telescope [JWST]

Dr. Joseph Pesce is an astrophysicist with the National Science Foundation and has been studying space for over 30 years. We sat down with him while NASA was releasing images from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), to capture his very first reactions.

All images are credited to NASA, ESA, CSA, and STScl

Dr. Pesce is a Program Director at the NSF, Directorate for Mathematical & Physical Sciences, Division of Astronomical Sciences. An Astrophysicist with 30 years of experience, his primary areas of interest is in the external environments of galaxies hosting super massive black holes (Active Galactic Nuclei – AGN – in particular blazars); formation and evolution of AGN and galaxies; intergalactic medium in clusters of galaxies; imaging and spectroscopy of AGN (optical, IR, UV, X-ray); multiwavelength (radio to gamma) monitoring studies of blazars; cool stars and stellar atmospheres (AGB stars, supernovae progenitors).

He is the Program Officer responsible for the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), the Central Development Laboratory (CDL), the Very Large Array (VLA), and the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA).
00:00 Astrophysicist looks forward to first JWST images
00:54 Southern Ring Nebula
01:31 WASP-96 b
02:36 SMACS 0723
05:23 Stephan's Quintet
08:34 Carina Nebula

[NSFScience]

What other discoveries will they find in deep space with JWST? Stay up to date with our most recent science discoveries by subscribing here. We'll bring Dr. Pesce back for the next James Webb image release.

[greenarrow]

What I find incredible is in the images what look like stars in the background are actually Galaxys. Just amazing when you think how massive Galaxys are. I always think how many civilizations might be out there, and if anyone is looking back.

[spongedan]

Really enjoyed the video! Would love to hear back as more is released!!

Usually try to not complain… but the yellow background is a little aggressive to the eyes.

[fredlandry]

Amazing pictures hopefully the telescope will make some new discoveries for many years.

[andrewgray]

This is amazing stuff!! The picture of galaxies literally just goes on forever and ever, it’s mind boggling that if we had an even larger telescope to look in that same direction to count the older galaxies we couldn’t count it! But also the picture of the stars and gas cloud, isn’t every star like our sun or something?? Im not sure but that’s a lot of stars! All this is just fascinating and mind blowing and to think that we’ve never had contact from another society yet

[ewoksalot]

I've watched several videos so far and this is by far the best description of the gravitational sense effect yet. As a layperson it is sometimes quite challenging to understand even these "common' scientific terms when an astrophysicist is speaking.

[carsetc]

Is there a back story to why this bright color was used as a background?

[marystacey]

This scientist has a Jeff Goldblum vibe.

[jamesraymond]

Excellent. commentaries. Pesce's sense of awe clearly comes through and greatly enhances the descriptions. Thank you

[Adventurepilt]

the coincidence of a bloke explaining lensing whilst his own glasses lens light around his head is not lost on me

[CosmicDesignz]

Why would you use and show a bright yellow background !?!?!???

[sunalwaysshinesonTVs]

Awesome, just awesome! Always nice to be reminded the human spirit, in its pursuit of wonder and knowledge, continues to exists in spite of the fact we exist in an economic model that pursues maximizing despair, sow division and animosity, and melting the planet at such a pace that risks the continuation of humanity all in the name of material gain.

[biggityboggityboo]

If Jeff Goldblum was an astrophysicist.

[garfunkle]

That cluster of galaxies is just a teeny portion of area in the Universe. Amazing.

[KetogenicGuitars]

I always lose the track with the idea where that light have been travelling all that time. It seems so simple for them when they say it. It means that when the light originated there was no earth. Universe was smaller. It is impossible to understand for average people and I hope some one like Arvin Ash would make video for dummies about light's journey from big bang to our solar system.

[double_courage]

Considering that these objects are light years away, is it possible to model how they would appear in the present (now) ?

[michaelwilliams]

It's mind bending to see that many galaxies in a single frame, taken from a single point in space, and then proceed to pontificate on our absolutely ridiculous limited knowledge on what's happening. In a universe where galaxies are as, if not more so, numerous than we thought stars to be, we really are way out of our depth. Hopefully our species gets it right in next 50 or so years.

[marshallodom]

Nice that he explained things in a See Spot Run sort of way.

next!

[ser]

Im really wondering what these images look like today. These are snapshots of a “past time” correct? Do they even exist today? Trying to wrap my head around that

[marcinna]

6:50 my understanding is that the galaxy on the left is not interacting with the two on the right as it is much closer to the earth and well separated from the other two.