What is the James Webb Space Telescope?
The James Webb Space Telescope is an infrared observatory orbiting the Sun about 1 million miles from Earth to find the first galaxies that formed in the early universe and to see stars forming planetary systems.
About the Webb Telescope
The James Webb Space Telescope – also called JWST or Webb – is NASA’s largest and most powerful space science telescope. It is a premier observatory with a large infrared telescope that has an approximately 6.5-meter primary mirror.
Webb will study every phase in the history of our universe, ranging from the first luminous glows after the big bang, to the formation of solar systems capable of supporting life on planets like Earth, to the evolution of our own solar system. It will build on the Hubble Space Telescope's discoveries.
Webb launched Dec. 25, 2021, on an Ariane 5 rocket from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana on the northeastern coast of South America. ESA (European Space Agency) provided the Ariane 5.
On Jan. 8, 2022, the Webb team fully deployed the telescope's 21-foot, gold-coated primary mirror, successfully completing the final stage of all major spacecraft deployments to prepare for science operations.
“The successful completion of all of the Webb Space Telescope’s deployments is historic,” said Gregory L. Robinson, Webb program director at NASA Headquarters. “This is the first time a NASA-led mission has ever attempted to complete a complex sequence to unfold an observatory in space – a remarkable feat for our team, NASA, and the world.”
On Jan. 24, 2022, the mission team fired Webb’s thrusters and inserted the space telescope into orbit around the Sun at the second Lagrange point, or L2, its final destination, nearly 1 million miles from Earth.
“Webb, welcome home!” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “Congratulations to the team for all of their hard work ensuring Webb’s safe arrival at L2 today. We’re one step closer to uncovering the mysteries of the universe. And I can’t wait to see Webb’s first new views of the universe this summer!”
Webb's location gives it a wide view of the cosmos, and will keep the telescope's optics and scientific instruments cold enough to function and perform optimal science.
On July 11, 2022, Pres. Joe Biden previewed the first full-color image from Webb – the deepest and sharpest infrared image of the distant universe so far. Called Webb’s First Deep Field, the image shows galaxy cluster SMACS 0723, a cluster teeming with thousands of galaxies – including the faintest objects ever observed in the infrared.
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