NASA's Webb

Infrared Telescope Image  (NASA photo)

Whereas Charlotte’s Web loomed large in its own little corner of the universe, NASA’s Webb will cover a lot more territory.  A whole lot more…

As the Hubble Space Telescope nears the end of its uber-impressive life cycle, NASA has been priming the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to take its place.

NASA representative Amber Straughn recently explained to Mashable that the even more powerful Webb “will once again revolutionize the way we understand the universe.”

Because of Webb's ability “to see the universe in infrared wavelengths of light,” humans will soon be peering through cosmic dust “in order to see the star formations beneath.” 

This infrared vision will allow for an even better understanding of “the first galaxies that popped into existence in the early days of the universe.”  A sort of cosmic archaeology, if you will…

Webb’s infrared capabilities will also assist scientists in studying exoplanetary atmospheres.  Such life-indicating molecules as water vapor and methane can best be detected within those longer

wavelengths.

Resources

http://mashable.com/2015/04/24/james-webb-telescope/

Copyright May 17, 2015 by Linda Van Slyke   All Rights Reserved