Carina Nebula
A region of the Carina Nebula observed by the James Webb Space Telescope, part of a set of images and spectra released July 12 to show off the capabilities of the telescope. Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, and STScI

GREENBELT, Md. — NASA released the long-anticipated first science observations from the James Webb Space Telescope July 12, the culmination of decades of work and the start of a new era in astrophysics.

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Jeff Foust writes about space policy, commercial space, and related topics for SpaceNews. He earned a Ph.D. in planetary sciences from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a bachelor’s degree with honors in geophysics and planetary science...