The Cat’s Head Nebula shows why Hubble and Webb see different things

One release, several views

NASA published new views of the Cat’s Head Nebula on October 29, 2026. Located in Carina, roughly 7,500 light-years away, it looks different to Hubble and Webb because they observe different parts of the spectrum. The date is the image release date, not necessarily when the observations were made.

Dust changes the picture

In Hubble’s view, dust forms a dark pillar against glowing gas. Webb’s infrared observations provide a different view of the region. Neither telescope is “wrong”: each instrument gathers signals that help scientists study the same place from another perspective.

How to make sense of the images

To compare the images, first find a recognizable shape, then look at which details appear or disappear around it. That is more useful than deciding which looks sharper without knowing what light it represents. Read the credit and the explanation of image processing, too.

Colors in these astronomical images translate signals recorded through filters into a visible representation. That does not make them invented drawings, but it also does not mean a human observer would see precisely those hues. This story uses the Hubble view; the linked source provides comparisons with Webb.