Knowra James Webb Space Telescope James Webb Space Telescope The James Webb Space Telescope is a NASA-led space observatory launched in 2021. Its large segmented mirror and infrared instruments reveal distant galaxies, star formation, and planetary atmospheres.
Near-infrared camera : Webb's instrument for near-infrared imaging and slitless spectroscopy. NIRCam also aligns the telescope's mirror segments and detects the first light used for observations.
Cosmic dawn : The early era when the first stars and galaxies formed after the cosmic dark ages. Webb's sensitivity to redshifted infrared light lets it study some of the earliest galaxies.
NASA : The United States government agency responsible for civilian spaceflight and aeronautics research. NASA led Webb's development and mission, with international partners supplying key instruments and services.
Hubble Space Telescope : A NASA-led space observatory launched in 1990 that observes primarily in ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared light. Hubble and Webb cover overlapping wavelengths but differ in mirror size, instruments, and scientific emphasis.
Webb's first images : The first publicly released full-color scientific images and spectra from the James Webb Space Telescope, unveiled in July 2022. They demonstrated Webb's imaging and spectroscopic capabilities shortly after commissioning.
Near-infrared spectrograph : Webb's instrument for near-infrared spectroscopy, capable of observing many targets at once. NIRSpec measures the chemical and physical signatures of distant objects.
Galaxy formation and evolution : The processes through which galaxies assemble, change, and develop over cosmic time. Deep Webb observations reveal galaxies at different stages of early evolution.
European Space Agency : An intergovernmental organization that coordinates space activities among European member states. ESA contributed the launch vehicle and instruments to the Webb partnership.
Spitzer Space Telescope : A NASA space telescope that observed the universe in infrared light from 2003 to 2020. Spitzer was Webb's infrared predecessor, with a smaller mirror and less capable instruments.
Cosmic expansion : The increase in average distances between unbound regions of the universe over time. Expansion stretches ancient light into infrared wavelengths Webb can detect.
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