The first space photo taken with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), the largest and most powerful space telescope in human history, has been released. This is the highest resolution image of space celestial bodies to date.
- About this observed photo
On July 11 (local time), U.S. President Joe Biden released the first image of the ‘SMACS 0723’ galaxy cluster observed by James Webb at the White House. This cluster is regarding 4.6 billion light-years from Earth. One light year is the distance that light travels in one year, which is regarding 9.46 trillion km. “It’s a historic day,” Biden said.
On the 12th, NASA released additional space images taken by James Webb. Among the published data, the most striking was the ‘Great Carina Nebula’. The Carina Nebula, which has no specific shape, lies regarding 7600 light-years from Earth and is considered one of the largest and brightest nebulae in the night sky.
In addition, △WASP-96b (1150 from Earth)
A gas planet regarding half the mass of Jupiter a light-year away) The Southern Ring Nebula (a nebula of expanding gas clouds surrounding a dying star, nearly half a light-year in diameter), the Stephen Quintet (the first dense cluster of galaxies discovered in the constellation Pegasus) 4 galaxies repeatedly approaching each other), etc., were released.
- James Webb Space Telescope
The James Webb Space Telescope is the next-generation space telescope that succeeds the Hubble Space Telescope. To make this telescope, regarding $10 billion (regarding 13 trillion won) has been invested in its production alone since 1996, and NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) participated in the development. It is the largest project in the history of astronomy.
The James Webb Space Telescope is the largest space telescope in history and has a 6.5 m diameter reflective mirror and a tennis court-sized awning underneath to block sunlight. The telescope, launched on December 25 last year, can observe space farther away than the Hubble Space Telescope. This is because, unlike the Hubble Space Telescope, which observed the visible and near-infrared spectrum, James Webb can also observe the infrared band with long wavelengths.
James Webb also expects to be able to make early observations of the universe 13.5 billion years ago. The current consensus in academia is that the universe started following the Big Bang, which was regarding 13.8 billion years ago.
The Great Nebula in Carina captured by the James Webb Telescope (Photo Credit: NASA)
- James Webb’s Goals for the Future
These observations are only a prelude to James Webb’s future missions. NASA has presented four themes as James Webb’s main tasks: the early universe, the transition of galaxies, the life cycle of stars, and the discovery of extraterrestrials.
It captures the early light of the universe, which is a clue to the birth and origin of the universe right following the Big Bang, while also including the possibility of the existence of exoplanets and living things.
“It’s just a small piece of the vast universe,” said NASA Director Nelson.
