![]() However, since its formation, the universe has expanded, stretching the short ultraviolet wavelength emitted by those early stars into long wavelength infrared light. These stars were enormous and bright and poured out light that was predominantly blue and ultraviolet – something that the JWST can’t directly see. What followed is a period that astronomers call the Dark Ages.įor the next one or two hundred million years, gravity compressed these clouds until their densities became high enough that nuclear fusion began, and they became stars. While the initial conditions of the cosmos glowed white hot, as the universe expanded and cooled, the cosmos faded into darkness, containing only clouds of hydrogen and helium gas. Over the last century or so, scientists have determined that the universe began about 13.8 billion years ago in a cataclysmic event called the Big Bang. Within this image are 10,000 galaxies, going back in time as far as a few hundred million years after the big bang. Using a combined range of colors available to the Hubble Space Telescope, from ultraviolet to near-infrared light, astronamers have pieced together this compreshensive picture of a small section of the universe in the southern hemisphere. This change in technology will allow us to peer more deeply into the past and get a firsthand look at how our universe came to be. ![]() In contrast, JWST is focused mostly on the infrared spectrum ( 600-28,000 nanometers), with some limited capability of seeing some red/orange visible light, but not the other colors. Hubble is sensitive to ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared light (200-2,400 nanometers). The primary difference between the Hubble and the JWST is the wavelength of light that they are designed to image. It will look further back in time than the Hubble can, and it will answer questions that the Hubble can’t. That’s why the Webb Telescope, named for James Webb, who ran NASA from 1961 to 1968 as the agency prepared for the Apollo missions to the moon, is so important. These are amazing discoveries that are a great return on investment.īut there are more questions that need answering, which require new capabilities. And it created a three-dimensional map of the dark matter in the universe. Hubble discovered moons of Pluto and proved that most galaxies have a supermassive black hole at their core. It has answered questions that weren’t even being asked when it was launched, while shedding light on old questions like: how fast is the universe expanding? And how old it is? Hubble, for instance, has proven itself worth the investment again and again. Society has supported pricey astronomical projects like space telescopes because of the huge payback in knowledge about the universe – and should continue to do so. But both the cost and the wait are totally worth it. It comes with a substantial price tag – some $10 billion – and it was originally intended to be launched over a decade ago. The Webb Telescope is an international endeavor, helmed by NASA, but with important contributions from both the European and Canadian space agencies. It’s been a long time coming, but it’s a very exciting prospect to see the astronomical community take the next step forward. The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is a next-generation instrument designed to peer at the cosmos, with capabilities that both outstrip and complement the venerable Hubble telescope.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |