{"title":"Priority Stamps","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"galaxy-pair-stamps-1","title":"Galaxy Pair Priority Mail Express Stamps","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCrab Nebula Priority Mail Express Stamps\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePriority Express $33.25 | \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSheet Stamp Format\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eContinuing a tradition of celebrating astronomical discoveries and the wonder of space exploration, the U.S. Postal Service unveils a new Priority Mail Express® stamp showcasing a composite James Webb Space Telescope (Webb) and Hubble Space Telescope image titled \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGalaxy Pair\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e This image reveals two adjacent galaxies’ sweeping spiral arms, bright star-forming regions, and clouds of dust and gas, offering a glimpse into the dynamic processes that shape our universe.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis stamp follows previous USPS releases featuring James Webb Space Telescope images, including the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eCosmic Cliffs\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003ePillars of Creation\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e stamps issued in 2024, and the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eSpiral Galaxy\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eStar Cluster\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e stamps in 2025.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eArt director Greg Breeding, who has overseen the design of all previous Priority Mail® and Priority Mail Express® Webb-themed stamps, again led the artistic direction for the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eGalaxy Pair\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e stamp.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e“When I first came across this image, it took my breath away,” he says. “The image is so powerful and dynamic—I knew it had to become a stamp.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eGalaxy Pair\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e image presents a stunning view of two interacting galaxies, IC 2163 and NGC 2207, located approximately 80 million light-years from Earth. These galaxies are engaged in a cosmic dance, their mutual gravitational forces distorting their shapes and triggering waves of star formation.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe image of the two galaxies is a composite of separate exposures acquired by the Hubble and James Webb space telescopes using advanced imaging technology.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn Hubble’s original image, the star-filled spiral arms glow brightly in blue, and the galaxies’ cores appear in orange.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn Webb’s image, cold dust takes center stage, casting the galaxies’ arms in white. Areas where stars are still deeply embedded in the dust appear pink. Other pink regions may be objects that lie well behind these galaxies, including active supermassive black holes known as quasars.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe stamp will be issued in panes of four.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStamp Issuance:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFebruary 24, 2026\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKansas City, MO\u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e64108\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMade in the USA\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"United States Postal Service","offers":[{"title":"Sheet of 4","offer_id":46214837862591,"sku":null,"price":119.7,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0766\/3484\/9471\/files\/GalaxyPairStamps1.webp?v=1789591303"},{"product_id":"crab-nebula-stamps-1","title":"Crab Nebula Priority Mail Stamps","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCrab Nebula Priority Mail Stamps\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePriority $11.95 | \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSheet Stamp Format\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCelebrate the wonders of the universe with a new Priority Mail® stamp featuring James Webb Space Telescope’s (Webb) magnificent image of the famed Crab Nebula. One of the most frequently observed celestial bodies, the Crab Nebula is one of the brightest remnants of an exploded star in the night sky. Webb’s discoveries are reshaping our knowledge of galaxies, exoplanets, and the formation of stars, continuing the legacy of previous space telescopes like Hubble.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDesigned by USPS art director Greg Breeding, this stamp highlights the marvel of engineering that is Webb, an observatory designed to study some of the oldest and most distant objects in space.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e“Crab Nebula is one of the most famous, and beautiful, objects in space,” says Breeding. “When choosing an image from NASA’s collection, it stood out among others because of its eye-catching color and shape. It fits perfectly on a stamp and will be recognizable to many.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe star that created the Crab Nebula—also known as Messier 1 (M1)—exploded in 1054, prompting Chinese astronomers to note a \"guest star\" in the night sky. Because the supernova was so bright at the time, it was likely observed by humans all over the world. Its light would have been comparable to the full moon—six times brighter than Venus.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOn June 17, 2024, NASA released this striking new Webb image of the Crab Nebula, offering a fresh perspective on one of the most famous supernova remnants. Located 6,500 light-years away in the constellation Taurus, Webb captured the new Crab Nebula image in vivid infrared detail using its powerful sensors.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWebb’s infrared instruments provide previously unseen details of its intricate filaments and glowing clouds. Dust, shown in fluffy magenta (pink-purple), forms a cage-like shape that stands out in the bottom left and top right areas of the image. There are also threads of dust inside the remnant, and some of them match up with green-colored areas made of ionized sulfur. Yellow-white lines form big looping shapes near the center—these are spots where the dust and sulfur mix.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis cage-like dust structure partly holds in a ghostly blue glow called synchrotron emission, which looks like wisps of smoke. This glow is caused by the Crab Nebula’s central pulsar, a fast-spinning dead star with a strong magnetic field. The blue lines follow that magnetic field, creating a smoky, ribbon-like effect.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNow featured on a new Priority Mail® stamp, the image symbolizes both the wonder of space and the power of human innovation—bringing the mysteries of the universe a little closer to home.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe stamp will be issued in panes of four.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStamp Issuance:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFebruary 24, 2026\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKansas City, MO\u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e64108\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMade in the USA\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"United States Postal Service","offers":[{"title":"Sheet of 4","offer_id":46214828130495,"sku":"129704","price":43.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0766\/3484\/9471\/files\/CrabNebulaStamps1.webp?v=1789591378"}],"url":"https:\/\/postage-direct.com\/collections\/priority-stamps.oembed","provider":"Postage-Direct","version":"1.0","type":"link"}