From Running Man to Black Eye: Here are Stunning Photos of 2021 Taken by Hubble

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) successfully launched into space on Dec. 25 to peer back in time and of course to pay utmost attention to potential signs of alien life millions of miles away from our liveable planet. But its predecessor, Hubble Space Telescope, is still a hardworking scientific instrument and continues to transmit dazzling photos to us. NASA and ESA shared Hubble photos of 2021, reports Mashable.

Some glittering nebulae and galaxies reflecting the extraordinary beauty of the endless universe are among the photos taken by Hubble. This unique collection also includes a dying star called CW Leonis and an open star cluster NGC 330.

Hubble photos of 2021

Astronomers around the globe are looking forward to hearing news that JWST is ready for its long-term mission. Initially, the telescope was expected to be operational for 5 to 10 years. According to NASA’s latest analysis, the space-based observatory “should have enough propellant to allow support of science operations in orbit for significantly more than a 10-year science lifetime.”

That is to say, JWST will add new incredible images to the collection created by Hubble’s eye. Here are some of the photos taken by Hubble.

1. Superbubble: This image shows a shiny structure in which there is a mysterious cavity in the middle. That is called “superbubble” which is filled with hot gas.

NASA, ESA

2. A jewel-bright image portrays NGC 1385, a spiral galaxy 65 million light-years from our blue pale dot. NGC 1385 lies in the constellation Fornax — a latine word for furnace.

ESA/Hubble & NASA

3. This creepy image depicts a dying star called CW Leonis, which is known to be the closest carbon star to Earth due to its carbon-rich atmosphere. CW Leonis is 400 light-years away from Earth.

ESA/Hubble, NASA

4. One of the most popular structures in the universe is the Running Man nebula, also known as NGC 1977. Some may liken that nebula to a space ghost running from one star to another in the Orion constellation.

NASA, ESA

5. Veil Nebula gorgeously continues its existence in the universe. Astronomers have captured the detailed image of the nebula with its array of bright colors. The Veil is located 2100 light-years away from us.

ESA/Hubble & NASA

6. NGC 4535, known as the “Lost Galaxy,” is approximately 50 million light-years distant. Its spiral arms host little blue structures, which mean younger stars. Yellow in and around the center shows older stars.

ESA/Hubble & NASA

7. Residing about 5,000 light-years away from Earth, Abell 78 is a planetary nebula dubbed The Swan in the constellation Cygnus.

ESA/Hubble & NASA

8. NGC 330 captured by Hubble is an open star cluster lying in the Tucana constellation, also known as The Toucan. Scores of stars are seen in the image and many of them are dispersed around.

ESA/Hubble & NASA

9. Called “Black Eye,” NGC 4826 is a spiral galaxy being 17 million light-years away from Earth in the Coma Berenices (Berenice’s Hair) constellation. This galaxy discovered by astronomer Edward Pigott in 1779 is also named “Evil Eye” as dust is stacked on one side of the bright nucleus.

ESA/Hubble & NASA

10. Hubble photographed this side-on view of NGC 3568. That spiral galaxy is 57 million light-years away from the Milky Way in the Centaurus constellation.

ESA/Hubble & NASA

11. In this image, you can see two galaxies settled 350 million light-years away.

ESA/Hubble & NASA

12. The last piece of Hubble photos of 2021 is NGC 6891, one of the glorious nebulae in the Delphinus constellation. Also called the Dolphin, NGC 6891 has an asymmetrical structure. According to NASA, it contains “a spherical outer halo that is expanding faster than the inner nebula, and at least two ellipsoidal shells that are orientated differently.”

NASA, ESA