Summary Reader Response Draft 2

Griggs, in “Why stars look spiky in images from the James Webb Space Telescope” (Griggs,2022) explains the technology behind the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and how it compares to its predecessor, the Hubble Space Telescope with regards to the number of diffraction spikes. The article was published in the American technology news website known as The Verge on the 16^th of July 2022.

Personally, it has always been an interest learning about outer space. After reading the above-mentioned article, I was astonished at the advancement of the technology used to study the galaxy. From multiple camera instruments to highly engineered mirrors, I feel that the JWST will be a game changing telescope in the air and space industry.

The JWST is the latest, most powerful telescope, cruising millions of miles away from earth, developed by NASA. It observes our galaxy by using infrared light and hopes to see the past and give information about how the galaxy has changed from billions of years ago until today. It was launched on the 25^th of December 2021 in Guiana Space Center, Europe.

The article begins by giving a very brief explanation on the working principal of a telescope. It then discusses the differences between the Hubble Telescope and the JWST. The reason why the JWST is becoming popular is because of its improved design and technology. The JWST is a revolutionary telescope because it utilizes hexagonal mirrors and multiple camera instruments which is able to gather and study new information about our solar system that other telescopes are not capable of doing so due to their lack of technology.

There are several mentioned examples in the article explaining the engineering and technology used by the JWST.

Because JWST’s main aim is to see far into the galaxy, a bigger mirror setup is used for the mission. The JWST uses hexagonal mirrors primarily instead of a single round mirror used in the Hubble Telescope. The purpose of primary mirrors in a reflective telescope is to guide the light into the secondary mirror. Griggs states that “The shape of the primary mirror, in particular the number of edges it has, determines the mirror’s diffraction pattern” (Griggs, 2022). This results in an image with six diffractions. The use of a hexagonal shape mirror eliminates gaps between each mirror, obtaining a high filing factor, indicating minimal gaps between mirrors. A hexagonal outline also makes the design additionally symmetrical, making it easier to launch into outer space as the whole telescope would need to be compact during takeoff. 

The JWST utilizes multiple camera instruments to view the solar system. The NIRCam (near-infrared light) is the telescope’s main imager. It shows more prominent diffraction spikes because stars are very bright at those wavelengths (0.6 to 5 microns). “NIRCam will detect light from: the earliest stars and galaxies, in the process of formation, the population of stars in nearby galaxies, as well as young stars in the Milky Way and Kuiper Belt objects” (NASA, 2021). The NIRSpec (Near InfraRed Spectograph) is used to distribute the amount light from a certain target into a spectrum. “Analyzing the spectrum of an object can tell us about its physical properties, including temperature, mass and chemical composition” (NASA, 2021). There is also a Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) that consists a camera and a spectrograph. Its main role is to view the light in the mid-infrared area of the electromagnetic spectrum. The wavelength of the MIRI has a range of 5 to 28 microns. In this range, it gives us a visual of the solar system longer than our eyes can ever see.

However, the JWST does pose an obvious weakness. Being millions of miles away from earth, it would be nearly impossible to carry out repairs if something were to go wrong. Unfortunately, the JWST was hit by a meteoroid sometime in May of 2022. The meteor strike damaged one of the mirrors and has caused an uncorrectable damage to the telescope. Thankfully, the effect of the damage is insignificant and the telescope is still functioning above expectations. Even so, the idea of the telescope running into complications and not being able to correct it directly is concerning. 

From where I stand, I did not think it was possible to view what the galaxy looks like about 13 billion years ago. Nonetheless, the articles explaining the technology behind the JWST refutes my opinion.

The reason behind the making of the JWST is for astronomers to discover further into the galaxies than ever before. The aim is to discover what lies after the Big Bang. Scientist have spent over 30 years developing the JWST, costing approximately $10 billion USD. Compared to Hubble, the JWST is bigger and better and can see much further into the universe, making it a revolutionary telescope with its improved mirror and camera technology. For example, the JWST can look further because the mirrors collect much more light energy due to its 6.5-meter diameter mirror while the Hubble’s primary mirror is only 2.5 meters in diameter (CNET, 2022). Therefore, with JWST’s breakthrough, it allows scientists and astronomers to discover new galaxies and learn about the beginnings of time.

 

References:

1)      Griggs, M. (2022). Why stars look spiky in images from the James Webb Space Telescope. Retrieved 17 September 2022, from https://www.theverge.com/23220109/james-webb-space-telescope-stars-diffraction-spike

2)      Key Facts - Webb/NASA. (2022). Retrieved 17 September 2022, from https://jwst.nasa.gov/content/about/faqs/facts.html

3)      Reilly, C. (2022). James Webb Space Telescope: NASA's First Images Explained. Retrieved 24 September 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvfuxtVr7JY&t=1s

4)      Mirrors Webb/NASA. (2022). Retrieved 28 September 2022, from https://webb.nasa.gov/content/observatory/ote/mirrors/index.html#:~:text=The%20Webb%20Telescope%20team%20also,in%20diameter%2C%20flat%20to%20flat.

5)      Howell, E. (2022). James Webb Space Telescope picture shows noticeable damage from micrometeoroid strike. Retrieved 30 September 2022, from https://www.space.com/james-webb-space-telescope-micrometeoroid-damage

Summary Reader Response Draft 1

 

Griggs, in “Why stars look spiky in images from the James Webb Space Telescope” (Griggs,2022) explains the technology behind the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and how it compares to its predecessor, the Hubble Space Telescope with regards to the number of diffraction spikes. The article was published in the American technology news website known as The Verge on the 16^th of July 2022.

The JWST is the latest, most powerful telescope, cruising millions of miles away from earth, developed by NASA. It observes our galaxy by using infrared light and hopes to see the past and give information about how the galaxy has changed from billions of years ago until today. It was launched on the 25^th of December 2021 in Guiana Space Center, Europe.

The article begins by giving a very brief explanation on the working principal of a telescope. It then discusses the differences between the Hubble Telescope and the JWST. The reason why the JWST is becoming popular is because of its improved design and technology. The JWST is a revolutionary telescope because it utilizes hexagonal mirrors and multiple camera instruments which is able to gather and study new information about our solar system that other telescopes are not capable of doing so due to their lack of technology.

There are several mentioned examples in the article explaining the engineering and technology used by the JWST.

Because JWST’s main aim is to see far into the galaxy, a bigger mirror setup is used for the mission. The JWST uses hexagonal mirrors primarily instead of a single round mirror used in the Hubble Telescope. The purpose of primary mirrors in a reflective telescope is to guide the light into the secondary mirror. Griggs states that “The shape of the primary mirror, in particular the number of edges it has, determines the mirror’s diffraction pattern” (Griggs, 2022). This results in an image with six diffractions.  The use of a hexagonal shape mirror eliminates gaps between each mirror, obtaining a high filing factor. A high filing factor indicates that there are no gaps in between each mirror. A hexagonal outline also makes the design additionally symmetrical, making it easier to launch into outer space as the whole telescope would need to be compact during takeoff. The mirrors are also engineered specifically to withstand the conditions in outer space, specifically its temperature. The mirrors must be kept cold to see far into the galaxy because stars give off infrared light which is studied by astronomers and any warmth present would also produce infrared light, affecting the images shown. NASA explains “Because warm objects give off infrared light, or heat, if Webb’s mirror was the same temperature as the Hubble Space telescope‘s, the faint infrared light from distant galaxies would be lost in the infrared glow of the mirror” (NASA, 2022). The mirrors need to be maintained at around -220 degrees Celsius and it does that by incorporating sunshields.

The JWST utilizes multiple camera instruments to view the solar system. The NIRCam (near-infrared light) is the telescope’s main imager. It shows more prominent diffraction spikes because stars are very bright at those wavelengths (0.6 to 5 microns). “NIRCam will detect light from: the earliest stars and galaxies, in the process of formation, the population of stars in nearby galaxies, as well as young stars in the Milky Way and Kuiper Belt objects” (NASA, 2021). The NIRSpec (Near InfraRed Spectograph) is used to distribute the amount light from a certain target into a spectrum. “Analyzing the spectrum of an object can tell us about its physical properties, including temperature, mass and chemical composition” (NASA, 2021). There is also a Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) that consists a camera and a spectrograph. Its main role is to view the light in the mid-infrared area of the electromagnetic spectrum. The wavelength of the MIRI has a range of 5 to 28 microns. In this range, it gives us a visual of the solar system longer than our eyes can ever see.

The reason behind the making of the JWST is for astronomers to discover further into the galaxies than ever before. The aim is to discover what lies after the Big Bang. Scientist have spent over 30 years developing the JWST, costing approximately $10 billion USD. Compared to Hubble, the JWST is bigger and better and can see much further into the universe. For example, the JWST can look further because the mirrors collect much more light energy due to its 6.5-meter diameter mirror while the Hubble’s primary mirror is only 2.5 meters in diameter (CNET, 2022). The new and improved mirror and camera instruments allows scientists and astronomers to discover new galaxies and learn about the beginnings of time.

 

1)      Griggs, M. (2022). Why stars look spiky in images from the James Webb Space Telescope. Retrieved 17 September 2022, from https://www.theverge.com/23220109/james-webb-space-telescope-stars-diffraction-spike

 

2)      Key Facts - Webb/NASA. (2022). Retrieved 17 September 2022, from https://jwst.nasa.gov/content/about/faqs/facts.html

 

 

3)      Reilly, C. (2022). James Webb Space Telescope: NASA's First Images Explained. Retrieved 24 September 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvfuxtVr7JY&t=1s

 

4)      Mirrors Webb/NASA. (2022). Retrieved 28 September 2022, from https://webb.nasa.gov/content/observatory/ote/mirrors/index.html#:~:text=The%20Webb%20Telescope%20team%20also,in%20diameter%2C%20flat%20to%20flat.

 

Design Summary Draft 2

Griggs, in “Why stars look spiky in images from the James Webb Space Telescope” (Griggs,2022) explains the technology behind the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and how it compares to its predecessor, the Hubble Space Telescope with regards to the number of diffraction spikes. The article was published in the American technology news website known as The Verge on the 16^th of July 2022.

The JWST is the latest, most powerful telescope, cruising millions of miles away from earth, developed by NASA. It observes our galaxy by using infrared light and hopes to see the past and give information about how the galaxy has changed from billions of years ago until today. It was launched on the 25^th of December 2021 in Guiana Space Center, Europe.

The article begins by giving a very brief explanation on the working principal of a telescope. It then discusses the differences between the Hubble Telescope and the JWST. The reason why the JWST is becoming popular is because of its improved design and technology. The JWST is a revolutionary telescope because it utilizes hexagonal mirrors and multiple camera instruments which is able to gather and study new information about our solar system that other telescopes are not capable of doing so due to their lack of technology.

There are several mentioned examples in the article explaining the engineering and technology used by the JWST.

The JWST uses hexagonal mirrors primarily instead of a single round mirror used in the Hubble Telescope. This results in an image with six diffractions. The purpose of primary mirrors in a reflective telescope is to guide the light into the secondary mirror. Griggs states that “The shape of the primary mirror, in particular the number of edges it has, determines the mirror’s diffraction pattern” (Griggs, 2022).

The JWST utilizes multiple camera instruments to view the solar system. The NIRCam (near-infrared light) is the telescope’s main imager. It shows more prominent diffraction spikes because stars are very bright at those wavelengths (0.6 to 5 microns). “NIRCam will detect light from: the earliest stars and galaxies, in the process of formation, the population of stars in nearby galaxies, as well as young stars in the Milky Way and Kuiper Belt objects” (NASA, 2021). The NIRSpec (Near InfraRed Spectograph) is used to distribute the amount light from a certain target into a spectrum. “Analyzing the spectrum of an object can tell us about its physical properties, including temperature, mass and chemical composition” (NASA, 2021). There is also a Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) that consists a camera and a spectrograph. Its main role is to view the light in the mid-infrared area of the electromagnetic spectrum. The wavelength of the MIRI has a range of 5 to 28 microns. In this range, it gives us a visual of the solar system longer than our eyes can ever see.

The reason behind the making of the JWST is for astronomers to discover further into the galaxies than ever before. The aim is to discover what lies after the Big Bang. Scientist have spent over 30 years developing the JWST, costing approximately $10 billion USD. Compared to Hubble, the JWST is bigger and better and can see much further into the universe. For example, the JWST can look further because the mirrors collect much more light energy due to its 6.5-meter diameter mirror while the Hubble’s primary mirror is only 2.5 meters in diameter (CNET, 2022). This allows scientists to discover new galaxies and learn about the beginnings of time.

References

1)      Griggs, M. (2022). Why stars look spiky in images from the James Webb Space Telescope. Retrieved 17 September 2022, from https://www.theverge.com/23220109/james-webb-space-telescope-stars-diffraction-spike

2)      Key Facts - Webb/NASA. (2022). Retrieved 17 September 2022, from https://jwst.nasa.gov/content/about/faqs/facts.html

Reilly, C. (2022). James Webb Space Telescope: NASA's First Images Explained. Retrieved 24 September 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvfuxtVr7JY&t=1s

Edited: 29 September 2022

Design summary draft 1

Design summary draft 1 - Why stars look spiky in images from the James Webb Space Telescope

Mary Beth Griggs, in “Why stars look spiky in images from the James Webb Space Telescope,” explains the technology behind the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and how it compares to its predecessor, the Hubble Space Telescope with regards to the number of diffraction spikes. The article was published in the American technology news website known as The Verge on the 16^th of July 2022.

The article begins by giving a very brief explanation on the working principal of a telescope. It then discusses the differences between the Hubble Telescope and the JWST. The reason why the JWST is becoming popular is because of its improved design and technology.

There are several mentioned examples in the article explaining the engineering and technology used by the JWST. Some of which are, the JWST uses hexagonal mirrors primarily instead of a single round mirror used in the Hubble Telescope results in an image with six diffractions. The JWST uses an NIRCam (near-infrared light) that shows more prominent diffraction spikes because stars are very bright at those wavelengths. The engineering behind the struts is also important because the amount and placement of struts decide the pattern of the spike.

Formal Letter (Descriptive Reflection)

Dear Prof Brad and classmates,

My name is Shameer and I am writing this letter to introduce myself to everyone. I am a first-year student pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering at the Singapore Institute of Technology and I am fortunate to be in this critical thinking and communication class. A little background about myself, I graduated from Singapore Polytechnic in May of this year, obtaining a diploma in mechanical engineering. Prior to being a diploma student, I studied electronics engineering in the Institute of Technical Education (ITE). From an early age, I have always been fascinated by how everyday things work, such as machinery and specifically automobiles. This led me to pursue studying in the engineering sector.

When it comes to communication, I consider myself to be an active listener. Being an active listener means that one must pay full attention on what the presenter is saying and to ask questions to clarify any doubts. During my polytechnic internship, I had to attend a project proposal meeting with my supervisor. During the meeting, the presenter did not elaborate on some points and I had to wait until the end to ask questions. My supervisor then commented that I was being respectful by not interrupting the speaker during the presentation and that I asked rational questions. However, a weakness in communication that I wish to improve is my own speaking and presentation skills. I tend to be diffident in front of an audience, with the usual mind going blank and being nervous as an excuse.

In this module, I hope to work on my weakness and to better understand the core of communication skills. Being able to present in front of an audience is a crucial skill to have everywhere. Moreover, I feel that learning to communicate effectively will improve my interpersonal skills in the real world.

Finally, a trait that sets me apart from my peers is that I enjoy taking on new challenges to explore more opportunities.

Thank you for reading my letter and I hope to work with everyone together.

Sincerely,

Shameer Khan 

Edited: 13 Sep 2022

Task 5.2: “Critical Thinking: The Soul of Communication”

 

Back then, I always thought that learning about communication and critical thinking was pointless. Not until recently, especially after reading the article and experiencing complications in the workplace due to miscommunications, I found that communication skills are necessary if you do not want to be on the wrong end of the stick.

Having proper communication in the workplace is vital to maintain good relations with colleagues and to also minimize miscommunications. In the article, miscommunication and lack of proper communication skills training caused massive losses to various businesses.

Beyond any doubt, we would not want to be responsible for losing millions just because we lack communication skills. So, it is crucial that we pick up communication and critical thinking skills before we are appointed as a leader in the workplace. That said, it is not just a ‘Touch and Go’ topic and only picking up the basics of communication skills. Trainings need to emphasize on the core of communication and how to fully utilize the critical thinking and communication skill.

If all these are fulfilled, then we can eliminate ambiguity in communications.

PARAPHRASED QUOTE BY MARC REIMER

"Communication skills are an essential component in the education of engineering student to facilitate not just students' education but also to prepare them for their future careers." 

-Marc Reimer, Faculty of Engineering, Monash University (2007)

Paraphrased:

"For engineering students, communication skills are essential to facilitate not only their education, but also their career preparation."