# James Webb Space Telescope general discussion thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Tags:** science-math\ **Created:** [December 25, 2021, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-webb-space-telescope-general-discussion-thread/956624 "2021-12-25T13:18:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 35
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2022, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-webb-space-telescope-general-discussion-thread/956624/681 "2022-07-12T02:14:22Z")
Yeah, that’s a huge difference. Probably a combination of a big mirror, more sensitive cameras in near IR, and newer electronics with less noise and more sensitivity overall. I am most excited to see the spectra of the exoplanet tomorrow, to see just what kind of spectral resolution they are getting. ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2022, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-webb-space-telescope-general-discussion-thread/956624/682 "2022-07-12T02:27:43Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > While we were waiting for the telescope to be put into orbit, astronomers did a fantastic job of mapping what are called gravitational lenses. These are areas where massive foreground objects distort space in a way that causes it to act like a lens, greatly amplifying the light from distant areas behind it. SMACS 0723 is an area where massive galaxy clusters act in concert to create a strong lens, giving us the chance to see objects from the early Universe. How early, and how small an object will we see? We’ll find out on Tuesday. _(That quote is from squeegee’s link, not squeegee themself)_ How fucking smart do you have to be to even think something like that up? “Hey, let’s use gravity distortion from bajillions of miles away to create a Space Lens, letting us see even more bajillions of miles away!” Incredible. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2022, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-webb-space-telescope-general-discussion-thread/956624/683 "2022-07-12T02:43:57Z")
> [@ShadowFacts](#): > > How fucking smart do you have to be to even think something like that up? “Hey, let’s use gravity distortion from bajillions of miles away to create a Space Lens, letting us see even more bajillions of miles away!” > > Incredible. Oh, you get into crazier stuff than that. If you position a probe at [542 AUs from the sun](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravitational_lens#Solar_gravitational_lens) (81.3 billion miles), you could use the sun - our sun - itself as a gravitational lens, a [telescope the size of our solar system.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_gravitational_lens) The mind [boggles.](https://www.space.com/sun-gravity-could-help-observe-exoplanets-in-detail) ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2022, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-webb-space-telescope-general-discussion-thread/956624/684 "2022-07-12T02:52:45Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > Oh, you get into crazier stuff than that. If you position a probe at [542 AUs from the sun](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravitational_lens#Solar_gravitational_lens) (81.3 billion miles), you could use the sun - our sun - itself as a gravitational lens, a [telescope the size of our solar system.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_gravitational_lens) The mind [boggles.](https://www.space.com/sun-gravity-could-help-observe-exoplanets-in-detail) Slewing that telescope to a new target will not be quick. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2022, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-webb-space-telescope-general-discussion-thread/956624/685 "2022-07-12T03:25:53Z")
If you’re like me, this JWST image puts into perspective our small place in the universe. Though humbling, it instills a sense of awe in the sheer vastness and complexity of deep space. It’s one thing to know that there’s an astronomically large number of galaxies in the universe, but seeing it in fine detail makes it real. It hits you on an emotional level—an existential level. Most of those dots represent a galaxy, each containing tens to hundreds of billions of stars and planets, many of which could potentially harbor life. The odds of there _not_ being life on some of them must be incredibly small to minuscule. Likewise, the odds of there not being advanced civilizations on some must also be minuscule. If that’s the case then this sand-at-arms-length view that we’re looking at in fine detail must contain intelligent beings that are looking at us as a small dot of a galaxy. And that’s just a tiny fraction of the universe at large. It’s enough to boggle your mind. One might even call it awesome. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2022, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-webb-space-telescope-general-discussion-thread/956624/686 "2022-07-12T03:41:55Z")
> [@Tibby](#): > > If you’re like me, this JWST image puts into perspective our small place in the universe. Though humbling, it instills a sense of awe in the sheer vastness and complexity of deep space. It’s one thing to know that there’s an astronomically large number of galaxies in the universe, but seeing it in fine detail makes it real. It hits you on an emotional level—an existential level. Yea, it’s hard to put into words what we’re visualizing. Our own world is unimaginably small and insignificant. Each of those galaxies are unimaginably vast, while we gaze out from our own unimaginably vast galaxy. Oh, and they’re moving. We all are. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2022, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-webb-space-telescope-general-discussion-thread/956624/687 "2022-07-12T04:31:48Z")
> [@Tibby](#): > > Most of those dots represent a galaxy, each containing tens to hundreds of billions of stars and planets, many of which could potentially harbor life. The odds of there _not_ being life on some of them must be incredibly small to minuscule. Likewise, the odds of there not being advanced civilizations on some must also be minuscule. If that’s the case then this sand-at-arms-length view that we’re looking at in fine detail must contain intelligent beings that are looking at us as a small dot of a galaxy. And that’s just a tiny fraction of the universe at large. It’s enough to boggle your mind. One might even call it awesome. Oh yeah, my wife mulled about the possibility of us not being alone with regard to the vastness that image represented. I replied with the aged saw that it implied that we almost assuredly aren’t alone, but finding out where and when our companions might exist will be very difficult, and meeting up even more difficult still. Either way, you gotta try. What Hank Williams is to Neil Armstrong, what would you be if you didn’t even try? ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2022, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-webb-space-telescope-general-discussion-thread/956624/688 "2022-07-12T04:43:07Z")
Am I right in assuming that all the six-pointed objects in the JWST image (which are all four-pointed in the Hubble image) are seriously over-exposed relative to the rest, and that the points are artifacts of the sensors? ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2022, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-webb-space-telescope-general-discussion-thread/956624/689 "2022-07-12T04:51:09Z")
Those are individual stars in our own galaxy. The points are diffraction artifacts, six of them due to the hexagonal shape of the mirror segments. Or something like that. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2022, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-webb-space-telescope-general-discussion-thread/956624/690 "2022-07-12T06:21:34Z")
> [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > You can see two sets of spikes. The bright ones with 6-fold symmetry are from the mirror segments and two of the struts (which are at a 60 degree relative angle). There is also a dimmer spike with 2-way symmetry, which is from the final strut (angled halfway between the other two struts, giving a 150-150-60 degree pattern). Quoting myself, now that NASA has put out an infographic confirming what I already knew 🙂 [![](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FXcIR1BXoAM7OHY?format=jpg&name=4096x4096) ](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FXcIR1BXoAM7OHY?format=jpg&name=4096x4096) ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2022, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-webb-space-telescope-general-discussion-thread/956624/691 "2022-07-12T07:12:28Z")
> [@Tibby](#): > > If you’re like me, this JWST image puts into perspective our small place in the universe. Though humbling, it instills a sense of awe in the sheer vastness and complexity of deep space. It’s one thing to know that there’s an astronomically large number of galaxies in the universe, but seeing it in fine detail makes it real. It hits you on an emotional level—an existential level. > > Most of those dots represent a galaxy, each containing tens to hundreds of billions of stars and planets, many of which could potentially harbor life. The odds of there _not_ being life on some of them must be incredibly small to minuscule. Likewise, the odds of there not being advanced civilizations on some must also be minuscule. If that’s the case then this sand-at-arms-length view that we’re looking at in fine detail must contain intelligent beings that are looking at us as a small dot of a galaxy. And that’s just a tiny fraction of the universe at large. It’s enough to boggle your mind. One might even call it awesome. Not only are they looking at us, but they are talking about us on some message board as they fight their own ignorance. ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2022, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-webb-space-telescope-general-discussion-thread/956624/692 "2022-07-12T12:49:15Z")
> [@Tibby](#): > > If you’re like me, this JWST image puts into perspective our small place in the universe. Though humbling, it instills a sense of awe in the sheer vastness and complexity of deep space. It’s one thing to know that there’s an astronomically large number of galaxies in the universe, but seeing it in fine detail makes it real. It hits you on an emotional level—an existential level. Yes indeed. It makes me realise how utterly small and insignificant you lot all are. (I’m joking !) ---
**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2022, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-webb-space-telescope-general-discussion-thread/956624/693 "2022-07-12T13:10:15Z")
> [@k9bfriender](#): > > And after that, it’s not really suitable for public consumption. > > Scientists want data that they can plug in to create graphs and stuff. The public wants pretty pictures. While JWST technically is taking pictures, the raw data that it creates would not be something the average Joe could do much with. > > Someone has to actually take the data, and turn it into pretty pictures before it’s something the public has much use for. As an average Joe, I now wonder what I was being so eager about earlier. I saw the picture they showed at the press conference yesterday and was, if not disappointed, then somewhat underwhelmed. So much for pretty pictures. It seems Hubble took cooler looking pictures (e.g. the Pillars of Creation). At this point we should let the scientists do their thing and tell us what to believe about the universe later on, unless, of course one actually knows how to interpret raw data and draw ones own conclusions about how the universe developed. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2022, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-webb-space-telescope-general-discussion-thread/956624/694 "2022-07-12T13:48:04Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > Not only are they looking at us, but they are talking about us on some message board as they fight their own ignorance. Far more likely, they aren’t looking at us, because we’re just one tiny insignificant speck on their sky out of umteen-zillion such tiny specs, and there are only so many specks they can point their scopes at. @Cardigan , I was far more awed by this picture than I was by the Pillars of Creation. But it’s true that the awe in this picture is of a sort that needs a lot more explanation, for the layman. They could have done a much better job of the explanation around the picture. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2022, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-webb-space-telescope-general-discussion-thread/956624/695 "2022-07-12T13:55:46Z")
They did an incredibly poor job of demonstrating to anyone who wasn’t already a big space nerd why JWST was so much better than Hubble. A complete failure of the PR departments. I can only guess/hope that they have a good presentation lined up for the main reveal (in about a half hour) where they do a much better job of it. ---
**Author:** ![k9bfriender](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k9bfriender/32/3283_2.png) [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2022, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-webb-space-telescope-general-discussion-thread/956624/696 "2022-07-12T14:02:36Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > Slewing that telescope to a new target will not be quick. No, it will pretty much be a probe per star system that we want to look at. But, it only needs to be a 1 meter telescope, and it doesn’t need to slow down when it gets there, as it actually gets better resolution as it gets farther away. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2022, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-webb-space-telescope-general-discussion-thread/956624/697 "2022-07-12T14:32:21Z")
Press conference is starting (on time, even) ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2022, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-webb-space-telescope-general-discussion-thread/956624/698 "2022-07-12T14:45:59Z")
I’m not even bothering. Have to start work soon. But if it’s on time I’m impressed, especially after yesterday’s extended delay. What did Biden say? It was delayed because he was preparing for a Middle East visit? It was a long delay, on the order of a half hour. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2022, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-webb-space-telescope-general-discussion-thread/956624/699 "2022-07-12T15:08:55Z")
[NASA’s Webb Reveals Steamy Atmosphere of Distant Planet in Detail](https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/goddard/2022/nasa-s-webb-reveals-steamy-atmosphere-of-distant-planet-in-detail) [https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/styles/full\_width\_feature/public/thumbnails/image/main\_image\_exoplanet\_wasp.jpg](https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/styles/full_width_feature/public/thumbnails/image/main_image_exoplanet_wasp.jpg) > [@](#): > > - **Webb’s enormous mirror, precise instruments joined forces to capture most detailed measurements of starlight filtering through atmosphere of a planet outside our solar system to date** > - **The spectrum of light – which contains information about the makeup of a planetary atmosphere 1,150 light-years away – reveals distinct signature of water** > - **The strength of the signal that Webb detected hints at the significant role the telescope will play in the search for potentially habitable planets in coming years** > - **Webb’s powerful new view also shows evidence of haze and clouds that previous studies of this planet did not detect** ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2022, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-webb-space-telescope-general-discussion-thread/956624/700 "2022-07-12T15:11:38Z")
[NASA’s Webb Captures Dying Star’s Final ‘Performance’ in Fine Detail](https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/goddard/2022/nasa-s-webb-captures-dying-star-s-final-performance-in-fine-detail) [https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/main\_image\_stellar\_death\_s\_ring\_miri\_nircam\_sidebyside-5mb.jpg](https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/main_image_stellar_death_s_ring_miri_nircam_sidebyside-5mb.jpg) > [@](#): > > - **NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has revealed details of the Southern Ring planetary nebula that were previously hidden from astronomers. Planetary nebulae are the shells of gas and dust ejected from dying stars.** > - **Webb’s powerful infrared view brings this nebula’s second star into full view, along with exceptional structures created as the stars shape the gas and dust around them.** > - **New details like these, from the late stages of a star’s life, will help us better understand how stars evolve and transform their environments.** > - **These images also reveal a cache of distant galaxies in the background. Most of the multi-colored points of light seen here are galaxies – not stars.** > > The stars – and their layers of light – are prominent in the image from Webb’s [Near-Infrared Camera](https://webb.nasa.gov/content/observatory/instruments/nircam.html) (NIRCam) on the left, while the image from Webb’s [Mid-Infrared Instrument](https://webb.nasa.gov/content/observatory/instruments/miri.html) (MIRI) on the right shows for the first time that [_ **the second star** _](https://webbtelescope.org/news/first-images) is surrounded by dust. The brighter star is in an earlier stage of its stellar evolution and will probably eject its own planetary nebula in the future. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-webb-space-telescope-general-discussion-thread/956624.md?page=34) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-webb-space-telescope-general-discussion-thread/956624.md?page=36)