NASA NASA selects early science targets for JWST

AI Thread Summary
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will focus on a range of astronomical targets, including planets, moons, and distant galaxies, particularly those with high redshift. Initial observations will prioritize the atmospheres of larger exoplanets before moving on to smaller ones. The telescope must remain pointed away from the Sun, and its specific targets will depend on its launch date, set for no earlier than 2019. Data from early observations will be made freely accessible immediately, but the JWST will take about a month to reach its observational location, raising concerns about potential issues during its deployment. Unlike the Hubble Space Telescope, servicing the JWST will be challenging due to its distance of 1.5 million km from Earth.
Messages
37,372
Reaction score
14,197
News
A variety of targets will be looked at, including planets and moons within our solar system, various star systems and many galaxies from the early universe, where the high redshift and Hubble’s wavelength range made observations difficult.

For exoplanets, the strategy is to look at the atmospheres of big planets first. Smaller ones will follow once the easier targets are well understood.

James Webb Space Telescope has to point away from the Sun, so the specific targets for the first months will depend on the launch date (not earlier than 2019).
All the data from the early observations will be accessible freely immediately.
 
  • Like
Likes 1oldman2, websterling, ISamson and 1 other person
Physics news on Phys.org
I can't wait until the JWST finally comes out! But it will still have to travel to the observational location...:frown:
 
It will need about a month to reach its target, and most of the many unfolding steps happen during that time. It will make many people very nervous - if something goes wrong it could be really hard to fix it. Unlike Hubble, it will be 1.5 million km away from Earth, servicing missions would be tricky (although not impossible).
 
  • Like
Likes ISamson
Due to the constant never ending supply of "cool stuff" happening in Aerospace these days I'm creating this thread to consolidate posts every time something new comes along. Please feel free to add random information if its relevant. So to start things off here is the SpaceX Dragon launch coming up shortly, I'll be following up afterwards to see how it all goes. :smile: https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacex/

Similar threads

Back
Top