15 hilarious memes as the internet reacts to James Webb Telescope’s sharpest image of the universe

By Malavika Pradeep

Published Jul 13, 2022 at 09:45 AM

Reading time: 1 minute

33588

On 12 July 2022, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) shared the deepest and sharpest infrared image of the distant universe to date—documented by its James Webb Space Telescope. Dubbed as the world’s most powerful space telescope, Webb captured the stunning picture in less than a day, while similar images from the Hubble Space Telescope (which was launched into low Earth orbit in 1990) can reportedly take weeks.

“If you held a grain of sand to the sky at arm’s length, that speck is the size of Webb’s view here,” NASA captioned its post on Instagram. “Imagine—galaxies galore within a grain!” The organisation also reminded how this isn’t the farthest back we’ve seen into the universe either. ⁣”Non-infrared missions like COBE & WMAP saw the universe closer to the Big Bang (about 380,000 years after), when there was microwave background radiation, but no stars or galaxies. Webb sees a few 100 million years after,” it explained.

As NASA continued to release more pictures from the series of first images captured by Webb, President Biden remarked, “These images are going to remind the world that America can do big things, and remind the American people—especially our children—that there’s nothing beyond our capacity. We can see possibilities no one has ever seen before. We can go places no one has ever gone before.”

Well, as it turns out, among emotional wallpaper edits and humbling existential crises, the internet did see possibilities in the marvellous images and went places no one has ever gone before… in meme culture. Here are 15 of the best memes that shook the internet following Webb’s first iconic image of the universe.

1. Come on and slam, and welcome to the jam!

15 hilarious memes as the internet reacts to James Webb Telescope’s sharpest image of the universe

2. We’ve been living in a 90s arcade all along

15 hilarious memes as the internet reacts to James Webb Telescope’s sharpest image of the universe

3. Hubble can never

15 hilarious memes as the internet reacts to James Webb Telescope’s sharpest image of the universe

4. The time has come

15 hilarious memes as the internet reacts to James Webb Telescope’s sharpest image of the universe

5. Conspiracy theorists are quaking

15 hilarious memes as the internet reacts to James Webb Telescope’s sharpest image of the universe

6. Reminds me of the time the internet anthropomorphised a black hole into an anime girl

15 hilarious memes as the internet reacts to James Webb Telescope’s sharpest image of the universe

7. Okay, this one’s a beautiful analogy

15 hilarious memes as the internet reacts to James Webb Telescope’s sharpest image of the universe

8. I’d like to believe this image was an emotional moment for everyone

15 hilarious memes as the internet reacts to James Webb Telescope’s sharpest image of the universe

9. Best use of the template yet

15 hilarious memes as the internet reacts to James Webb Telescope’s sharpest image of the universe

10. Nothing a bit of zooming and enhancing can’t fix

15 hilarious memes as the internet reacts to James Webb Telescope’s sharpest image of the universe

11. Tough break

15 hilarious memes as the internet reacts to James Webb Telescope’s sharpest image of the universe

12. Hubble just needs some space, okay?

15 hilarious memes as the internet reacts to James Webb Telescope’s sharpest image of the universe

13. Coming to stores near you in three weeks

15 hilarious memes as the internet reacts to James Webb Telescope’s sharpest image of the universe

14. Throwback to the Tumblr era

15 hilarious memes as the internet reacts to James Webb Telescope’s sharpest image of the universe

15. Show the others some love too!

15 hilarious memes as the internet reacts to James Webb Telescope’s sharpest image of the universe

Keep On Reading

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

From soaring prices to ethical issues: Here’s why PrettyLittleThing’s rebrand is sparking outrage

By Charlie Sawyer

Did Tim Cheese murder John Pork, and how is Simon Claw involved? The lore, explained

By Abby Amoakuh

What is soft swinging? And why is the term trending on Mormon TikTok?

By Abby Amoakuh

John Lithgow fumbles JK Rowling question as Harry Potter TV show cast struggles with fan backlash

By Abby Amoakuh

Enough founder Katie White and experts debate whether self-swab DNA kits are a breakthrough or a risk to rape justice

By Charlie Sawyer

Another female influencer has been punched in the head in New York. Is it the same attacker?

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Are Aimee Lou Wood and Walton Goggins feuding? Fans freak out after The White Lotus co-stars unfollow each other

By Charlie Sawyer

Donald trump to accept $400M luxury plane from Qatar royal family

By Charlie Sawyer

Why are family vloggers fleeing LA? TikTok theory links exodus to California’s new child labour laws

By Abby Amoakuh

I sat down with two professional matchmakers to solve Gen Z’s dating fatigue

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Hannah Berner under fire for microaggressions in Megan Thee Stallion interview

By Abby Amoakuh

Right-wing Christian podcaster claims that airport body scanners can turn you gay

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

Conspiracy theorists are convinced Blue Origin’s all-female space flight was fake

By Charlie Sawyer

Meghan Trainor is not responsible for eradicating fatphobia. But her fans also have a right to be upset

By Fatou Ferraro Mboup

ICE under fire for allegedly deporting people identified by Jordans,  tattoos, and Nike gear

By Eliza Frost

Does the SKIMS Face Wrap actually work, or is it just another TikTok trap?

By Charlie Sawyer

Everything you need to know about toxic gossip site Tattle Life and how its founder finally got revealed

By Charlie Sawyer

Impractical Jokers star Joe Gatto accused of sexual assault in viral TikTok

By Abby Amoakuh

Fans claim viral video of Drake fighting off drone in Sydney penthouse actually an ad for gambling site Stake

By Matilda Ferraris

From Ballerina Cappuccina to Trallalero Trallalà, we unpack the darker undertones of Italian brainrot