“NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope is the perfect intersection of science, engineering, and art as it reveals the greatest secrets of our cosmos through the beautiful images it captures.With these stamps, people across the country can have their own snapshot of Webb’s captivating images – and the incredible science they represent – at their fingertips, and know that they, too, are part of this ground-breaking new era in astronomy,” said Nicola Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington.
The first stamp, a Priority Mail Express stamp, displays Webb’s NIRCam image of the ‘Cosmic Cliffs’ in the Carina Nebula, situated approximately 7,600 light-years away. Webb unveiled this mesmerizing full-color image in July 2022, demonstrating its capability to penetrate cosmic dust and shed new light on the process of star formation.
The second Priority Mail stamp, showcases an image of the Pillars of Creation captured by Webb’s MIRI. The Pillars of Creation is located within the vast Eagle Nebula, which is situated 6,500 light-years away.
The US Postal Service’s stamps honor’s Webb’s remarkable accomplishments as it continues its mission to explore the unknown and study the various stages of cosmic history. Webb has already unveiled distant galaxies, stars, and black holes, unraveled long-standing mysteries about the early universe, provided unprecedented insight into the atmospheres of exoplanets.
The James Webb Space Telescope stands as the world’s premier infrared space science observatory. It is unraveling the mysteries of our solar system, venturing beyond to distant worlds orbiting other stars, and investigating the enigmatic structures and origins of our universe. This international endeavor, led by NASA in collaboration with ESA and CSA, highlights the ingenuity and curiosity of humanity.
