The Webb Space Telescope, launching Dec. 18 2021

[Lazy8s]

100x more powerful than the Hubble, the images this sends back are going to be insanely jaw dropping.

https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/22664709/james-webb-space-telescope-launch-date-december-science-hubble

The Webb will surpass the Hubble in several ways. It will allow astronomers to look not only farther out in space but also further back in time: It will search for the first stars and galaxies of the universe. It will allow scientists to make careful studies of numerous exoplanets — planets that orbit stars other than our sun — and even embark on a search for signs of life there.

The Webb is a machine for answering unanswered questions about the universe, for exploring what has been unexplorable until now. Here’s a guide to what the Webb is capable of.

[acroig]

Yeah, let's get it over the Panama Canal first....

https://www.inverse.com/science/webb-telescope-panama-canal

[DaJMasta]

It hasn't been pushed to 2022, but it's been delayed dozens of times (I think the original launch date was supposed to be like 2015?)


That said, I think it is mostly shipping that remains, they had some trouble in the test chambers last year that seems to be resolved, and the vast majority of things are set and tested. There is still some chance it gets pushed back again, but I wouldn't expect by much.

Should be neat to see it finally up there and getting science.

[Lazy8s]

Yeah, let's get it over the Panama Canal first....

https://www.inverse.com/science/webb...e-panama-canal

I should have known something super basic could potentially screw this up

Why can’t it just be easy?

[acroig]

I should have known something super basic could potentially screw this up

Why can’t it just be easy?

Ad astra per aspera.

[Greasy]

As much as we spent on this thing, I don't think it's too much to ask of the Navy to send a few destroyers to project it from pirates.

[Lazy8s]

Ad astra per aspera.

S.N.A.F.U.

[acroig]

As much as we spent on this thing, I don't think it's too much to ask of the Navy to send a few destroyers to project it from pirates.

Ya think!? Sounds like a good idea to me.

[acroig]

S.N.A.F.U.

Better not turn into a FUBAR.

[acroig]

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-nail-biting-journey-of-nasas-james-webb-space-telescope-is-about-to-begin/

[Lazy8s]

https://www.scientificamerican.com/a...bout-to-begin/

In the event of a high-seas heist attempt, he says, “I would worry about [the safety of] the pirates themselves.”

I like that

[Sasquach]

This this looks ready to veer deep within the annals of Uranus!

[nutcrackr]

Bout time really. Hope it goes well and we get some good shots of naked aliens in the shower.

[pax]

Itll be great but still too weak to see detail of planets around other stars. We need to setup one of those monster scopes in Chile on the moon. Should be item one after we go back.

[JZL]

https://apnews.com/article/space-launches-technology-science-business-south-america-2bed9ec4c6bc04d462c38084bd009ce3

[DaJMasta]

Saw the launch christmas morning (not a lot of real video because the clouds were low, but a nice shot of separation from the top stage) and have been following along with their tracker every so often here https://webb.nasa.gov/content/webbLa...l?units=metric


But yeah, the big hurdles of getting up there and deployed are mostly over, and thanks to the good performance of the rocket, they think they have enough fuel for >10 years operation time.

[acroig]

But yeah, the big hurdles of getting up there and deployed are mostly over, and thanks to the good performance of the rocket, they think they have enough fuel for >10 years operation time.

Go Webb!

[SD-[Inc]]

It’s exciting. They have to get it right because we no longer have the capability to send any up there to fix it if something goes wrong.

[SubCog]

https://apnews.com/article/space-lau...c38084bd009ce3

Wait, Nasa just launched a satellite with a component named...

[SubCog]

It’s exciting. They have to get it right because we no longer have the capability to send any up there to fix it if something goes wrong.

Maybe Mr. Musk can go up there and do a quick fix?

[bob saget]

It’s actually nuts how far out there this thing going to be. I have these images in my head of the Hubble telescope being worked on by astronauts while it’s in orbit… and this thing is orders of magnitude further out than the moon!!

[Silent-Runner]

[acroig]

[AllexxisF1]

Big milestones in the last few days. Still got a ways to go, but man am I happy the sails and mirrors are done with no issues.

[acroig]

Big milestones in the last few days. Still got a ways to go, but man am I happy the sails and mirrors are done with no issues.

This!

[MaxSt]

It’s actually nuts how far out there this thing going to be. I have these images in my head of the Hubble telescope being worked on by astronauts while it’s in orbit… and this thing is orders of magnitude further out than the moon!!

The moon is 1.28 light seconds away, and JWST will be 5 light seconds away.

Not that far.

[bob saget]

The moon is 1.28 light seconds away, and JWST will be 5 light seconds away.

Not that far.

😁

[pax]

Home! Home on Lagrange!...

https://blogs.nasa.gov/webb/2022/01/24/orbital-insertion-burn-a-success-webb-arrives-at-l2/

All the mirrors are deployed and Webb has arrived at its destination.

https://webb.nasa.gov/content/webbLaunch/whereIsWebb.html?units=metric

[traitoR]

Home! Home on Lagrange!...

https://blogs.nasa.gov/webb/2022/01/24/orbital-insertion-burn-a-success-webb-arrives-at-l2/

All the mirrors are deployed and Webb has arrived at its destination.

https://webb.nasa.gov/content/webbLa...l?units=metric

This is a miracle in itself with the level of difficulty, impatiently waiting for the first images, which i read will be months still.

[andino]

Hope it focuses right.

[Nunz]

Amazing scientists pushing technology to the max. So sick how much trial and tribulation the telescope endured before it even made it to space, and everything has gone to plan so far.

Amazing

[pax]

And looks like they managed to save on fuel to give it another ~10 years of use! So we'll have some great astronomy for 20 years...

[acroig]

Amazing scientists pushing technology to the max. So sick how much trial and tribulation the telescope endured before it even made it to space, and everything has gone to plan so far.

Amazing

This.

[dodger]

https://arstechnica.com/science/2022/07/nasa-names-first-five-targets-for-webb-images/

On Friday, NASA continued to build the hype for next week's image release from the Webb Space Telescope by announcing the five objects in the first cache of images. A few of the targets are exactly what you'd expect, given what scientists have said they want to use the telescope to image, while a couple have likely been chosen because they'll produce some fantastic visuals.

I know this stuff is the most over hyped space thing in forever but was just thinking about this and since the search thing is so spotty, wanted to surface the thread before the big reveal in case I can't find it again.

For those tldr the five are WASP-96 b, The Carina Nebula, SMACS 0723, Stephan’s Quintet, and the Southern Ring Nebula.

Edit: Man the images had better be freakin awesome.

[nutcrackr]

Should be good, even the test image looks hot. I'm going to download a huge uncompressed image (if they have it) and just stare at it for a while.

[DeathKnight]

First one: https://webbtelescope.org/contents/m...GN9VCYAHBXKSD1

[nutcrackr]

It's crazy how all those tiny little dots in the background are galaxies. So many of them.

[KAC]

Yay now we can stare at space rocks.

[CyanBlues]

hubble for comparrison

[pax]

We should get an exoplanet imaging tomorrow. Gas giant but still.