The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has had an impact on astronomy since its launch on Christmas Day 2021 that cannot be overestimated. This influence has extended from studies of objects within the solar system to the very edge of observable space and, thus, the earliest imaginable galaxies.
Though the JWST was predicted to become a major player in the study of the most distant and ancient galaxies, the $10 billion telescope wasn't expected to have such an impact on one of the most fascinating and rapidly growing areas of astronomy: the study of planets beyond the solar system, or extrasolar planets, or "exoplanets."
