7 Crazy Facts About NASA's James Webb Space Telescope That Will Blow Your Mind

The James Webb Telescope launched on December 25, 2021. Touted as the successor to the ageing Hubble Space Telescope, the new telescope was shot off million of kilometres away from Earth to get a better glimpse into the workings of the universe. The James Webb Telescope was built and launched by NASA in collaboration with official space agencies of the European Union and Canada.

Here's a list of seven mind blowing facts about the James Webb Telescope which will change the route of space exploration for human beings.

1. Look back in time with Webb

The James Webb Telescope will help astronomers not only look farther out into space, but will also take us back in time. With the new telescope, astronomers are hoping to study the very first stars and galaxies in the universe to understand its secrets.

NASA

2. James Webb's "golden mirror"

The new telescope is at least 100 times more powerful than the Hubble Telescope. And with its golden mirror, astronomers are hoping to catch glimpses of the universe like never before. For the best view of space, one needs to be in space. And that's what Webb will do.

While Hubble mirror stood at 7.8 feet in diameter, the James Webb telescope's mirror has the diameter of 21.3 feet, allowing it to capture six times more light than Hubble.

Also read:?Hubble Telescope Captures Amazing Cosmic Sword Piercing A Star's Heart

3. A better understanding of our universe's history

All images taken by Hubble reflect not only galactic systems but also a collection of the universe's history. With Hubble, scientists were able to peek into galaxies that formed 400 million years after the Big Bang.

James Webb Telescope may be able to bridge that gap and show images from 250 million years after the Big Bang, taking us closer to the starting point of our universe.

Besides just seeing galaxies, the new telescope will bring more detail to all images including spiral arms, more light, and better structure.

NASA

4. Understanding the dark ages of cosmos

Before the first starlight appeared in the universe, the whole universe was essentially covered in a primordial gas of sorts, which has led to this era being called the "cosmic dark ages".

Scientists believe that earliest starlight from the first galaxies helped lift this cosmic fog. But with help from the telescope, they hope to expand their understanding of this fog.

5. Infrared lighting

While the Hubble telescope collects images in mostly ultraviolet (visible) light, James Webb will mostly take pictures in infrared, revealing more detail about the objects in those images unlike ever before.

With infrared imaging, astronomers may be able to peek into extremely old galaxies owing to a process called "redshifting" wherein light is stretched as it appears and disappears, leaving a red trail behind. With infrared, Webb will be able to capture extremely old galaxies that are currently being pushed farther away from Earth and becoming redder. That's how you look back in time!

NASA

Also read:?Jupiter's Moon Ganymede Has Water Vapour, Confirms NASA Hubble Space Telescope

6. The telescope will deploy itself in space

Owing to engineering challenges that were faced were building the whopping $10 billion James Webb Telescope, scientists decided it was best fold the telescope inside a rocket which will then be deployed far away from Earth in space.

The distance from Earth is important because our planet is warm - which is picked up by infrared cameras quickly, and something astronomers are keen to avoid.

NASA

7. The distance from Earth is huge

While Hubble was only 547 kilometres away from Earth, the James Webb Telescope will be millions of kilometres away from Earth - roughly four times the distance between the Earth and Moon.

If anything were to go awry, humans would not be able to service James Webb, something engineers were able to do with Hubble after they realised something was wrong with its mirror shortly after launch.

Simply speaking, the James Webb Space Telescope will either work or it wouldn't. We're definitely counting on the former to see all the magic stored in our universe.

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