James Webb Space Telescope
Summary
A telescope above our turbulent atmosphere can see much finer detail, and capture invisible colors of light that are blocked by the atmosphere. The design of the James Webb Space Telescope is driven by the need of astronomers for a next-generation, infrared observatory. Infrared is key to penetrating dusty shrouds where stars and planets are born, and for capturing the light emitted by the earliest stars and galaxies.
Coated in gold that reflects infrared light, Webb’s light gathering mirror segments are made of beryllium, which maintains its shape at very low temperatures. A sunshield protects the telescope from the intense light and heat of the sun. The telescope must be kept at 40 degrees above absolute zero, or its own infrared glow will overwhelm the faint sources of light that astronomers are trying to observe.
Keywords: esa, hst, hubble, james, jwst, nasa, sm4, space, spacevidcast, sts-125, stsi, telescope, webb
