The James Webb Space Telescope: What Is It?

The largest and most potent space telescope ever created is the James Webb Space Telescope. It will enable researchers to examine the state of the universe 200 million years after the Big Bang. Some of the very first galaxies to develop will be visible in photographs taken by the telescope. Additionally, it will be able to observe objects in our solar system from Mars outward, see into dust clouds to determine where new stars and planets are developing, and investigate the atmospheres of planets circling distant stars. An entertaining fact regarding the James Webb Space Telescope is as follows:

It is enormously large.

The Webb telescope is the size of a tennis court and is as tall as a three-story building. Because it is so large, it must fold like an origami figure in order to fit inside the rocket. Once in orbit, the telescope will open, sun shield

It is able to see through sandstorms.

The universe is seen by the James Webb Space Telescope in light that is invisible to the human eye. Infrared radiation is the name of this light, and humans experience heat from it. To see through smoke during a fire and save people, firefighters utilize infrared cameras. Our universe's dust will be visible to the James Webb Space Telescope thanks to its infrared cameras. Looking into those dust clouds, where stars and planets are formed, may provide fascinating new information! It will also be able to observe things that are so far away that the universe's expansion has caused their light to shift from visible to infrared, like the initial galaxies!

To assist reduce heat and light from the Sun, it dons a "hat."

The cameras on the Webb telescope are sensitive to solar heat. Webb has a sun shield to shield its equipment and mirrors from the sun, just like you could wear a hat or visor to keep the sun out of your eyes. The sun shield for the telescope is roughly the size of a tennis court. The telescope's sun-facing and shaded sides are almost 600 degrees Fahrenheit differential in temperature.

To view the cosmos, it makes use of enormous mirrors coated in gold. Mirrors help space telescopes "see" by gathering and concentrating light from far-off stars. (For more information on how space telescopes operate, visit our telescopes page.) The telescope can see more detail the larger the mirror. A huge, weighty mirror is incredibly challenging to send into space. Therefore, engineers created 18 smaller mirrors that fit together like a puzzle for the Webb telescope. Inside the rocket, the mirrors are folded, and once in orbit, they unfurl to form a single, enormous mirror.

Why are the mirrors gold? A thin layer of gold helps the mirrors reflect infrared light!

It will search for evidence of extraterrestrial life.

Planets live in systems other than our solar system as well. Thousands of planets orbiting stars other than our Sun have been found by scientists. The term for them is exoplanets. Exoplanet atmospheres will be studied with the aid of the James Webb Space Telescope. Could the ingredients for life exist in some extraterrestrial atmospheres? We'll soon find out!

 What is currently being done by the James Webb Space Telescope?

On December 25, 2021, the James Webb Space Telescope was sent into orbit. Want to know more about the largest and most potent telescope operated by NASA? Discover what the telescope is doing right now by looking at this interesting timeline! Additionally, visit the James Webb Space Telescope website to find more information, images, films, and more!