Webb's Cosmos

Author Marcin Sawicki is an experienced science educator and a professional astronomer who actively uses Webb data in his own research. In this book he offers a uniquely informed perspective on what Webb's beautiful images mean. His lucid, engaging text takes us behind the splendor of the images and explains how they reveal information about the birth of stars, the growth of galaxies from tiny seeds in the early cosmic epochs to the grand structures around us today, and humanity's ongoing search for worlds beyond our Solar System. Organized into ten richly illustrated chapters, the book explores topics such as star-forming regions where young stars form and grow, planets that orbit distant suns, and galaxies both nearby and in the farthest reaches of the cosmos. Along the way, readers also discover answers to frequently asked questions such as: How does NASA decide what Webb observes? How are Webb's digital observations processed to reveal the dazzling images we see? What are the immense scales and distances that Webb reveals? Blending the visual beauty of a rich photo album with the insight of a working scientist and engaging prose of an experienced science communicator, Webb's Cosmos is both a feast for the eyes and a guided tour through humanity's newest and most powerful window on the Universe. It is the most complete and up-to-date celebration of the James Webb Space Telescope available today.