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The Webb telescope captured a stunning photo of our universe. The internet made memes.

Great photo. Good memes.

Tim Marcin

on July 12, 2022

telescope image of galaxies and screenshot of tweet

Space jokes! Credit: NASA / ESA / CSA / STScI / Screenshot: Twitter / @jasonisbell

NASA has finally gifted us the first stunning images from the James Webb Space Telescope, which allows for a crystal clear view of the cosmos. It's stunning and a reminder of the vast universe beyond our reach. We are so small, just specks of nothing, impacting nothing.

Anyway, the internet took those images and made memes. Of course it did. That's what the internet does, baby.

"The first image from the Webb Space Telescope represents a historic moment for science and technology," President Biden wrote on Twitter after revealing the first image Monday evening. "For astronomy and space exploration. And for America and all humanity."

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The image was an appetizer to the forthcoming meal: cosmic images shared by NASA on Tuesday. The telescope is able to see deeper into space, and with greater clarity, than was previously imaginable. It can see back in time. The full slate of images are frankly incredible — they look too beautiful to be real.

Look, the universe is actually just a little birdie.

OK, yes, to be honest that galaxy does look like a melted clock.

What about men who also cried during Titanic?

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The clarity difference really is pretty wild.

A little sports joke for ya. Good job Chargers.

A deep cut music joke from the wonderful musician Jason Isbell.

A pattern in every '90s arcade and movie theater.

OK, this meme is mine, but you can't tell me this image doesn't look like something dreamed up by a stoner.

People immediately jumped to make the "cosmic cliffs" into phone wallpapers.

And finally, who else remembers the classic Space Jam website?

From here on out, we should get more and more beautiful images from the Webb telescope. And we'll certainly get more memes, too.

Topics NASA

Tim Marcin

Associate Editor, Culture

Tim Marcin is an Associate Editor on the culture team at Mashable, where he mostly digs into the weird parts of the internet. You'll also see some coverage of memes, tech, sports, trends, and the occasional hot take. You can find him on Bluesky (sometimes), Instagram (infrequently), or eating Buffalo wings (as often as possible).