![]() ![]() One example: In 1990 when the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope launched, dark energy was completely unknown. Astronomers will use Webb to observe the infrared Universe, analyze the data collected, and publish scientific papers on their discoveries.īeyond what is already planned for Webb, there are the unexpected discoveries astronomers can't anticipate. These observations mark the official beginning of Webb's general science operations-the work it was designed to do. Observations are carefully scheduled to make the most efficient use of the telescope's time. Teams have already applied through a competitive process for time to use the telescope, in what astronomers call its first "cycle," or first year of observations. Science! After capturing its first images, Webb's scientific observations will begin, continuing to explore the mission's key science themes. Although there are months to go before Webb ultimately delivers its new view of the cosmos, achieving this milestone means the team is confident that Webb’s first-of-its-kind optical system is working as well as possible. On 11 March 2022, the James Webb Space Telescope (Webb) team completed the stage of mirror alignment known as "fine phasing". All of Webb's commissioning data-the data taken while aligning the telescope and preparing the instruments-will also be made publicly available. The first images package of materials will highlight the science themes that inspired the mission and will be the focus of its work: the early Universe, the evolution of galaxies through time, the lifecycle of stars, and other worlds. In addition to imagery, Webb will be capturing spectroscopic data-detailed information astronomers can read in light. However, these new images will be the first in full color and the first to showcase Webb's full science capabilities. ![]() ![]() "Of course, there are things we are expecting and hoping to see, but with a new telescope and this new high-resolution infrared data, we just won't know until we see it," said STScI's lead science visuals developer Joseph DePasquale.Įarly alignment imagery has already demonstrated the unprecedented sharpness of Webb's infrared view. While careful planning for Webb's first full-color images has been underway for a long time, the new telescope is so powerful that it is difficult to predict exactly how the first images will look. "They are sure to deliver a long-awaited 'wow' for astronomers and the public." "Our goals for Webb's first images and data are both to showcase the telescope's powerful instruments and to preview the science mission to come," said astronomer Klaus Pontoppidan, Webb project scientist at STScI. ![]() "These images will be the culmination of decades of dedication, talent, and dreams-but they will also be just the beginning."ĭeciding what Webb should look at first has been a project more than five years in the making, undertaken by an international partnership between NASA, ESA, the Canadian Space Agency, and the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore, U.S., home to Webb's science and mission operations. The release of Webb's first full-color images will offer a unique moment for us all to stop and marvel at a view humanity has never seen before," said Eric Smith, Webb program scientist at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "As we near the end of preparing the observatory for science, we are on the precipice of an incredibly exciting period of discovery about our Universe. "We are looking forward to sharing the experience of seeing these first images and spectra with the public across Europe."īehind the scenes: Creating Webb's first images "This first release will be a remarkable moment for the mission, giving us a first glimpse of how Webb will transform our view of the Universe," said Chris Evans, ESA Webb Project Scientist. This careful process, not to mention years of new technology development and mission planning, has built up to the first images and data: a demonstration of Webb at its full power, ready to begin its science mission and unfold the infrared Universe. As the largest and most complex observatory ever launched into space, Webb has been going through a six-month period of preparation before it can begin science work, calibrating its instruments to its space environment and aligning its mirrors. ![]()
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