Griggs, in “Why stars look spiky in images from the James Webb Space
Telescope” (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 study of
outer space is an interesting topic amongst many individuals. With the recent
release of the JWST, space enthusiast are 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 25th 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 amongst
astronomers, in the opinion of Griggs, is because of its improved design and
technology. 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 JWST is a
revolutionary telescope because it utilizes hexagonal mirrors and multiple
camera instruments which are 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.
The JWST uses hexagonal mirrors primarily instead of a single round
mirror used in the Hubble Telescope. Because JWST’s main aim is to see far into
the galaxy, approximately 13 billion light years away (Kluger, 2022), a bigger
mirror setup is used for the mission. The purpose of primary mirrors in a
reflective telescope is to guide the light into the secondary mirror. “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. (NASA, 2021) 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. (NASA, 2021)
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) (NASA, 2021). “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 (NASA, 2021).
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 (Howell, 2022). Even so, the idea of the telescope running into
complications and not being able to correct it directly is concerning.
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 (Amos, 2021). 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 (Reilly, 2022). Therefore, with JWST’s
breakthrough, it allows scientists and astronomers to discover new galaxies and
learn about the beginnings of time.
References:
Griggs, M.B. (2022,
July 16). Why stars look spiky in images from the James Webb Space
Telescope. The Verge. https://www.theverge.com/23220109/james-webb-space-telescope-stars-diffraction-spike
Howell, E. (2022, July
18). James Webb Space Telescope picture shows noticeable damage from
micrometeoroid strike. Space.com. https://www.space.com/james-webb-space-telescope-micrometeoroid-damage
Kluger, J.
(2022, July 13). What the 5 Mind-Blowing Webb Telescope Pictures Tell Us.
Time.com. https://time.com/6196675/five-james-webb-telescope-images-explained/
Reilly, C. (2022, July
13). James Webb Space Telescope: NASA's First Images Explained. Youtube:
CNET. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvfuxtVr7JY&t=1s
NASA (n.d) Webb Key
Facts. jwst.nasa.gov. https://jwst.nasa.gov/content/about/faqs/facts.html
NASA (n.d) Webb’s
Mirrors. webb.nasa.gov. https://webb.nasa.gov/content/observatory/ote/mirrors/index.html#:~:text=The%20Webb%20Telescope%20team%20also,in%20diameter%2C%20flat%20to%20flat
NASA (n.d) NIRCam.
webb.nasa.gov. https://webb.nasa.gov/content/observatory/instruments/nircam.html
Amos, J. (2021, December 14). What
is the James Webb Space Telescope and when will it launch? bbc.com.
Thanks very much for this rewrite and for all your effort in the module. Best wishes!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Prof.
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