The James Webb Space Telescope: Seeing the First Galaxies

  1. The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) launched on December 25, 2021.
  2. It is the most powerful space telescope ever built, succeeding Hubble.
  3. JWST orbits the Sun at the L2 Lagrange Point, about 1 million miles from Earth.
  4. Its 6.5-meter gold-coated mirror collects infrared light from the distant universe.
  5. Webb’s instruments can peer back over 13 billion years to see the first galaxies.
  6. It studies the formation of stars, black holes, and planetary systems.
  7. JWST can analyze exoplanet atmospheres for signs of habitability.
  8. Its sunshield, the size of a tennis court, keeps instruments ultra-cold.
  9. The telescope has already delivered record-breaking deep-field images.
  10. Webb is transforming our view of cosmic origins and humanity’s place in the universe.