The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), a significant space exploration project slated for a 2021 launch, has been making headlines. The JWST is the most potent infrared telescope designed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). It is regarded as the successor to the Hubble Telescope and will aim to extend and enhance discoveries made by its predecessor.
Legacy of the Hubble Telescope
The Hubble Space Telescope, launched into low Earth orbit in 1990, has made over 1.4 million observations. These include tracking interstellar objects, recording comet collisions with Jupiter, discovering moons around Pluto, capturing merging galaxies, investigating supermassive black holes, and contributing to our understanding of the universe’s history.
International Collaboration
An international partnership between NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Canadian Space Agency, the JWST, boasts promising prospects. It is expected to reveal new and unexpected discoveries, fostering a deeper understanding of the universe’s origins and humanity’s place within it.
JWST and Exoplanetary Studies
The JWST will study a wide variety of exoplanet atmospheres. This investigation includes the search for atmospheres comparable to Earth’s and checking for key substances like methane, water, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and complex organic molecules. These explorations aim to discover life’s building blocks.
Launch Vehicle: Ariane 5 ECA Rocket
The JWST will be launched using an Ariane 5 ECA rocket from French Guiana in South America. The Ariane 5 is considered one of the most dependable launch vehicles.
Mission Goals
The goals of the JWST mission are manifold. Firstly, it will aim to search for the oldest galaxies formed after the Big Bang. Secondly, it will seek to understand how galaxies have evolved since their initial formation. Thirdly, it will observe star formation from the earliest stages to planetary system formation. Lastly, it will measure the physical and chemical properties of planetary systems and investigate potential life suitability in such systems.
Comparing JWST and Hubble Telescope: Wavelength and Size
The JWST is primarily an infrared telescope, providing coverage from 0.6 to 28 microns. The Hubble Telescope, on the other hand, sees mainly in the ultraviolet and visible part of the spectrum and can only observe a small infrared range from 0.8 to 2.5 microns. Additionally, Webb’s primary mirror has a diameter of 6.5 metres compared to Hubble’s smaller 2.4-meter mirror, resulting in a larger field of view for the JWST.
JWST vs Hubble Telescope: Distance and Observational Capacity
Webb’s near- and mid-infrared instruments will assist in studying the first-formed galaxies, exoplanets, and star birth. While Hubble can observe the equivalent of “toddler galaxies,” the Webb Telescope will be able to see “baby galaxies.”
The Herschel Space Observatory Telescope
The Herschel Space Observatory Telescope, another significant infrared telescope, was launched by the European Space Agency in 2009. While it orbits the sun similar to how JWST would, its wavelength range (60 to 500 microns) and mirror size (3.5 meters in diameter) differ significantly from the JWST’s 0.6 to 28 micron range and 6.5-meter primary mirror diameter.
