NASA has revealed an image taken by the James Webb Telescope of the Large Magellanic Cloud, a dwarf galaxy belonging to the Milky Way. While the telescope is still in the testing phase, this visual allows you to realize its amazing capabilities. Thus achieve compatibility parfait According to the scientists who organized a press conference to talk about the topic.
And ” A very good scientific example » James Webb Telescope Capabilities
The image was taken by the James Webb Telescope’s Medium Infrared Instrument (MIRI), the coolest instrument on the panel that focuses light in the mid-infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum, that is, the redshifted light of distant galaxies, star-forming stars, and highly visible comets. faint.
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This image has been compared to another image of the same region of the universe taken by NASA’s Spitzer Telescope, launched in 2003 and now retired, which specializes in infrared light. The difference between the two pictures is amazing. The James Webb Telescope shows the chemistry of interstellar gas in stunning detail, including the emission of carbon and hydrogen molecules called Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons They are some of the basic building blocks of life.
« It’s a great scientific example of what Webb will give us in the coming years. Chris Evans, chief telescope scientist at the European Space Agency, said during the press conference. ” We’ve done many studies on star and planet formation in our galaxy, but here we’re looking at it in the Magellanic Cloud, a small outer galaxy, which is less chemically evolved than our Milky Way. So this gives us an opportunity to study the formation processes of stars and planets … in an environment completely different from our galaxy. ‘, he completed.
On the left, the Large Magellanic Cloud captured by the Spitzer Telescope, on the right, by the James Webb Space Telescope. Image: NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope/Flickr
disturbs our knowledge of the universe
In addition to having much sharper instruments and a much larger primary mirror than Spitzer, the James Webb Telescope is also in a better position to observe infrared light with greater clarity thanks to its location. It is located at Lagrange Point 2, about 1.5 million kilometers away, where it can stay cold, and is essential for its machines to function efficiently.
Launched on December 25, the James Webb Telescope has traveled nearly a month to reach its current residence, and is still running a set of operational tests, a phase dubbed ” commissioning By observing the universe from the orange of the visible spectrum to the mid-infrared, the telescope should be able to observe up to 13.5 billion years ago to see the first stars and galaxies forming in the darkness of the early universe.
In addition to allowing us to understand the origins of the universe, it will also help researchers analyze the evolution of galaxies, the life cycle of stars, and the study of exoplanets. From now on, the James Webb Telescope will take pictures of its science targets, called preliminary observations. These will not only be the first images of these images, but they will also be the first images processed in color. In fact, if the universe saw in infrared and near-infrared wavelengths, the images would be translated into visible light, he explains. Gizmodo.
The James Webb Telescope should allow us to make incredible discoveries in various fields of astronomy. Photo: NASA
What awaits the James Webb telescope?
In the near future, research teams will also test the telescope’s ability to track objects in our solar system, such as planets, satellites, rings, asteroids and comets. That way, they’ll be able to make sure he can do it properly, because he’s particularly sensitive to starlight.
« We will also measure changes in the telescope’s alignment when it is pointed at different locations So, he’ll swing between slightly warmer and cooler positions, in order to see how quickly the mirrors heat up and cool down as they move through space. For now, everything is going as planned and the telescope can start its official operation in about two months’ time, Evans explained. .
The James Webb Telescope is designed to operate for at least five years, but its ultra-precision launch means it could have enough fuel to stay in position for more than 20 years. There is no doubt that during this period of time, he will disturb mankind’s knowledge of the universe.
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