's James Webb Space Telescope NASA has been in orbit for six months and has begun sending back its first images. The highly complex telescope is almost ready for new discoveries .
This time in space comes after nearly two decades of effort to design, build, and test the telescope on Earth. But now, the telescope is almost ready and has already begun collecting scientific data and images. It is the largest and most powerful telescope ever put into space by humans, and it is already bringing new insights into the universe.
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"The images are being taken right now," said Thomas Zurbuchen, who leads NASA's science programs.
NASA said it plans to release some images from Webb's first observations on July 12. On Wednesday, space agency officials said the images and other data will allow us to see deeper into spacethan we've ever seen before. They will also see the spectrum of an atmosphere around an exoplanet . The Webb telescope will be able to identify the fingerprints of small molecules, such as carbon dioxide and ozone, which will provide important clues about whether places around other stars are habitable .
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NASA's deputy administrator, Pam Melroy, said she was thrilled with the images Webb has produced so far. "What I've seen has moved me, as a scientist, as an engineer and as a human being," she said.
Zurbuchen also said he was in awe when he saw the data and realized what the telescope. He said he almost cried when he saw the first images taken by Webb.
“It’s really hard not to look at the universe in a new light and not just have a deeply personal moment,” he said. “It’s an emotional moment when you see nature suddenly release some of its secrets.”
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Unfortunately, we'll have to wait almost two full weeks to see some of these images from NASA's James Webb.
Source: arstechnica.com
