--- title: "Rejoice! The Webb Telescope Has Released Yet Another Selfie" description: "When Stars Align The James Webb Telescope is now aligned and ready for action — which, in the case of this social media-famous spacecraft, includes taking selfies. After releasing the telescope’s first fully-aligned photo of a star (which was, naturally, incredible to behold), NASA also dropped a Webb “selfie” in such perfect focus, it looks […]" date: "2022-03-17" modified: "2022-03-17" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/webb-second-selfie" categories: - "James Webb Space Telescope" - "NASA" - "Space" tags: - "james webb space telescope" - "JWST" - "NASA" - "selfie" - "the digest" --- # Rejoice! The Webb Telescope Has Released Yet Another Selfie ![The James Webb Telescope is now aligned and ready for action — which, in the case of this social media-famous spacecraft, includes taking selfies. ]() *\Image: NASA\* ## When Stars Align The James Webb Telescope is now aligned and ready for action — which, in the case of this social media-famous spacecraft, includes taking selfies. After [releasing the telescope's first fully-aligned photo]() of a star — which was, naturally, incredible to behold — NASA also dropped a Webb "selfie" in such perfect focus that it looks more like a concept illustration than a photo at all. https://twitter.com/NASAWebb/status/1504129115921727490 ## Peaking Unlike most selfies, this one wasn't taken with vanity in mind. As the Webb telescope's NIRCam instrument works on aligning itself to produce the kind of high resolution shots it will be known for going forward, it also takes inward-facing photos to make sure all 18 of its hexagonal mirrors are in the right place to take its gorgeous composite photos. The result, as we see here and as we saw in February, is this kind of "selfie" highlighting the telescope's now-iconic mirror array. Compare this to Webb's first selfie, which was released alongside its first star photo on February 11. Huge difference, right? https://twitter.com/NASAWebb/status/1492164093742047237 From here on out, Webb photos will hopefully be as crisp as this latest selfie and the [astonishing star photo that accompanied it](), which were the result of the month-long process of aligning each of the telescope's 18 mirrors. In social media terms, this is absolutely what we call a "glow-up." **More space selfies:** [*China's Mars Orbiter Shares Incredible New Selfies*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've often been drawn to unpacking the narratives that underlie technological, scientific and medical progress, with a special interest in areas of conflict and ambiguity that end up setting agendas and steering the fates of both elites and the hoi polloi. I'm a committed generalist, but I often find myself returning to work involving NASA and the private space sector, the effects of AI on media and society, and the mechanics of the pharmaceutical industry, with a specific focus on the spread of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Prior to Futurism, I worked for publications ranging from Media Matters and Truthdig to Raw Story and Bustle. I'm also the author of "Myspace Scene Queens," a 2024 title in Instar Books' acclaimed "Remember the Internet" series. My work at Futurism has been cited by outlets including the New Yorker, Slate, Nieman Lab, the Verge, the MIT Technology Review, the Sunday Times, and the Daily Beast. I grew up in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. In my free time, I'm an avid reader and music fan; you can probably find me at a local poetry reading, concert, underground rave, or DJ set. I'm the proud parent of an ineffable orange cat named Mee-Mow. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()