What do you expect to get from a space telescope that cost a cool 10 billion dollars and made the whole world hold its breath during the launch and deployment? The James Webb Telescope is gradually settling into its new home, and it is already sending back pictures of the Universe!
The latest pictures are stunning and shock the entire space industry! What is in the latest picture delivered by the James Webb Space Telescope, and why is everybody going gaga over it? Fewer space telescopes captured the world’s attention like the James Webb Space Telescope! Fewer telescopes also got as delayed as the JWST.
And no telescope costs as much! The JWST is a collaboration between NASA, the European Space Agency, and the Canadian Space Agency. The JWST supplants the Hubble Space Telescope, which has not only provided stunning images but has also been vital in providing scientific knowledge about our Universe and its origins. But because astronomers and scientists need better instruments to help us understand the Universe, the JWST was conceived. After development and testing work that spanned decades and came close to being canceled by the government, the JWST launched on Christmas Day last year.
That was no ordinary launch as the telescope had to be folded to fit on the launch vehicle! Its primary mirror, 2.7 times larger in diameter and about six times larger in surface, had to be broken into 18 parts!
