One of the justifications for building the JWST was being able to better understand the origins and evolution of planetary systems. As it slowly comes into focus and shows us what it is capable of, NASA is eager to show off its first pictures, and like any new parent, point out the details the rest of us might not notice.

Case in point: This image of gas, dust, and stars in the LMC. The glow in the nebula shown here is from my favorite kind of molecule: polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. On Earth, these are used to make artificial scents, and in space, they are just kind of hanging out, glowing softly in the infrared. In a new image release, NASA compares JWST’s capabilities with its predecessor, Spitzer. NASA would like you to know: [JWST] will allow us to see the infrared sky with improved clarity, enabling even more discoveries.

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MIRI’s Sharper View Hints at New Possibilities for Science (NASA)