The most elusive planetary aurora in the Solar System has finally been revealed in all its gently glowing glory. Far from the Sun, and Earth, the sky-blue planet Neptune has been captured shimmering in near-infrared light as particles interact in its hazy atmosphere.

Using Webb’s near-infrared spectrograph, astronomers have captured new images of Neptune that finally reveal the planet’s mysterious auroral activity. Faint hints of Neptune’s auroras were first detected during Voyager 2’s flyby of the planet, but Webb’s latest discovery is the first direct evidence of the phenomenon.

NAS's James Webb Space Telescope has captured Neptune’s glowing auroras in the best detail yet. Hints of auroras were first faintly detected in ultraviolet light during a flyby of the Voyager 2 spacecraft in 1989.