A James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) image of the Cassiopeia A (Cas A) supernova remnant will be included in the White House’s first-ever Advent calendar.
In a Sunday news release, NASA said that the image, along with the Advent calendar, was revealed as part of the White House holiday celebrations for this year.
The JWST image of the supernova remnant taken by the telescope represents that Christmas “came early” for astronomers because the remnant is being shown in high resolution.
Cas A, one of the most well-studied supernova remnants in all of the cosmos, is located 11,000 light-years away in the constellation Cassiopeia, the release said.
“With NIRCam’s resolution, we can now see how the dying star absolutely shattered when it exploded, leaving filaments akin to tiny shards of glass behind,” Purdue University scientist Danny Milisavljevic said in a statement, referring to the telescope’s Near-Infrared Camera.
“It’s really unbelievable after all these years studying Cas A to now resolve those details, which are providing us with transformational insight into how this star exploded,” Milisavljevic added.
The image, along with others, will be used by the White House to showcase the “Magic, Wonder, and Joy” of the holiday season, the White House said.
The Advent calendar with the Webb Telescope image will be located in the East Room, the largest room in the White House, throughout the duration of the holiday display.
“In this season of reflection and goodwill, we hope you will embrace your inner child and delight in simply being present with those you love. It is a time for our senses to awaken — for each of us to smell the aroma of favorite family recipes, to hear the warmth of a dear friend’s voice, to see the glow of lights and decorations, to taste the sweetness of candies and treats, and to feel the quiet stillness and strength of faith,” first lady Jill Biden said in a joint statement along with President Biden when introducing the White House holiday theme last month.
“We hope you enjoy the holidays at the White House — ’The People’s House,’ your house. May the memories made here remind us all of the blessing that is our Nation.”