The James Webb Space Telescope Reveals The Secrets Of The Universe
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is a telescope that was launched on December 25, 2021. It is a replacement for the Hubble Space Telescope, which was launched in 1990. The telescope is named after James E. Webb, who was the director of NASA and created the Apollo program that sent astronauts to the moon. It has a 6.5 meter (21 ft) wide main mirror. This is 6 times larger in area than the Hubble Telescope. It is so large that it consists of 18 parts that fold together during launch so that it can fit into the rocket. It is an infrared telescope, but also works in the red part of visible light. The Telescope is covered with gold because gold reflects infrared radiation very well. Infrared vision can be used to observe thermal radiation, so the telescope itself should be as cool as possible. It is protected by a large sun visor the size of a tennis court to keep cool and dark.
Main mirror assembly from the front with primary mirrors attached, November 2016 (image: NASA).
The telescope is in orbit far away from Earth to avoid thermal radiation from Earth and the Moon. This particular orbit is located outside the Moon, at the second Lagrange point of the Sun-Earth system, in a place of stable gravity. This orbit is 1,500,000 kilometers from Earth, which is about four times farther from us than the Moon. This keeps it in the shadow of the Earth most of the time; it doesn’t actually orbit the Earth but orbits the Sun at the same speed as the Earth.
NASA’s Webb Delivers Deepest Infrared Image of Universe (image: NASA).
NASA released the first image on 11 July 2022, the oldest and highest resolution image of the Universe. After releasing its first high-resolution images in July, the James Webb Space Telescope continues to share new images that provide unprecedented views of the universe. The telescope is expected to shed light on the life cycles of planets, stars and galaxies and reveal mysteries of the universe. It has enough fuel to operate for the next 20 years and will change the way people understand the cosmos.
The inner region of the Orion Nebula as seen by the James Webb Space Telescope. The image reveals intricate details about how stars and planetary systems are formed (image: NASA).
Interesting facts about the James Webb Space Telescope
- The JWST is actually lighter than its predecessor, the Hubble Space Telescope. Webb has a mass of about 6,500 kg, while Hubble had a mass of about 11,100 kg.
- JWST is at least 100 times more powerful than the Hubble Telescope. JWST can see one penny at a distance of 24 miles.
NASA released a mosaic image of the Tarantula Nebula. The image, which spans 340 light-years, shows tens of thousands of young stars that were previously obscured by cosmic dust.
- The total amount of gold in the mirrors of the James Webb Space Telescope is only 48 grams. The thickness of the gold layer is only 1000 gold atoms.
- One side of the telescope is hotter than in Death Valley, the other side is colder than in Antarctica.
A new image of the Phantom Galaxy, which is 32 million light-years away from Earth, combines data from the James Webb Space Telescope and the Hubble Space Telescope.
- The side of the Webb telescope will be passively cooled to a temperature no higher than ~ 50 K: cool enough for nitrogen to liquefy.
- JWST will be able to detect water on exoplanets.
- Unlike Hubble, JWST will not be operational during its mission. When he runs out of fuel, his fate will be to stay permanently in a “graveyard orbit” around the Sun.
Webb’s landscape-like view, called “Cosmic Cliffs,” is actually the edge of a nearby star-forming region called NGC 3324 in the Carina Nebula. The telescope’s infrared view reveals previously invisible areas of star birth.
- JWST will detect the first light ever created in the universe. JWST will be able to see right through massive dust clouds that are opaque to visible light observatories such as Hubble.
- The James Webb Telescope will help astronomers not only look further into space, but also take us back in time.
A new image of the Phantom Galaxy, which is 32 million light-years away from Earth, combines data from the James Webb Space Telescope and the Hubble Space Telescope.
- One side of the telescope is hotter than in Death Valley, the other side is colder than in Antarctica.
- The side of the Webb telescope will be passively cooled to a temperature no higher than ~ 50 K: cool enough for nitrogen to liquefy.
- JWST will be able to detect water on exoplanets.
- JWST will detect the first light ever created in the universe.
The five galaxies of Stephan’s Quintet can be seen here in a new light. The galaxies appear to dance with one another, highlighting how these interactions can drive galactic evolution.
