James Webb updates: NASA reveals 5 stunning, new images from telescope

Ahead of the release Tuesday of the first images taken by the James Webb Space Telescope, NASA has revealed a list of the telescope's first targets.

Among them is the Carina Nebula, which is one of the brightest nebulae in the sky -- according to the space agency -- and located about 7,600 light-years away.

Other targets include WASP-96 b, the largest planet outside of our solar system, and the Southern Ring Nebula, which is a planetary nebula, or a cloud of gas that encircles a dying star.

The telescope will also examine Stephan's Quintet, a group of five galaxies located 290 million light-years away and of which four are "locked in a cosmic dance of repeated close encounters," NASA said.

The final target is the SMACS 0723, which is a cluster of galaxies that distorts the light of objects behind it and will allow scientists to look at planets, stars and other objects that would have been otherwise invisible to the human eye.

President Joe Biden unveiled the first full-color image taken by the James Webb Space Telescope.

The image, revealed during a press event held at the White House Monday and also attended by Vice President Kamala Harris, shows multiple galaxies.

It is the highest-resolution image of the universe ever captured, officials said.

"Today is a historic day," said Biden. "It’s a new window into the history of our universe and today we’re going to get a first glimpse of the light to shine through that window."

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said the light seen on the image has been traveling for over 13 billion years.

NASA announced Monday all four of the James Webb Space Telescope's scientific instruments are ready to start being used.

The space agency said there are 17 modes, or ways, to operate the instruments. All have been examined and are "ready to begin full scientific operations."

The last step was was checking the the telescope's NIRCam, which block starlight so scientists can detect other nearby structures, such as exoplanets.

A test image taken by the James Webb Telescope offers a preview of what's to come ahead of the release of the first full-color images.

NASA shared the photo last week taken by one of the telescope's instruments, the Fine Guidance Sensor, or FGS, to demonstrate how strong, clear and sharp Webb's images will be.

According to the space agency, the "false-color mosaic" is made up of 72 exposures taken over a 32-hour period.

NASA noted that the primary focus of the FGS is not even to capture images but to make sure the telescope is pointing precisely at its target.