How is James Webb Telescope protected?
The sunshield protects the telescope from the heat of the sun and keeps the instruments cold. Next, the mirrors will start unfolding and latching into place so they can reflect light.
Why is the James Webb Telescope better than Hubble?
The Webb telescope’s primary mirror is 6.5 meters in diameter, compared with Hubble’s, which is 2.4 meters, giving Webb about seven times as much light-gathering capability and thus the ability to see further into the past.
Why does the James Webb Telescope have a five-layer sunshield?
The five-layer sunshield keeps sunlight from interfering with the sensitive telescope instruments. The telescope operates under 50K (~-370F) Photo: Northrop Grumman The James Webb Space Telescope will observe primarily the infrared light from faint and very distant objects.
Why didn’t Webb use the Hubble Space Telescope’s mirror?
If the Hubble Space Telescope’s 2.4 meter mirror were scaled to be large enough for Webb, it would be too heavy to launch into orbit. The Webb team had to find new ways to build the mirror so that it would be light enough – only one-tenth of the mass of Hubble’s mirror per unit area – yet very strong.
What is the function of the telescope’s sunshield?
The sunshield protects the telescope from external sources of light and heat (like the Sun, Earth, and Moon). Webb’s sunshield is positioned between the Sun/Earth/Moon and the telescope. Webb’s orbit at L2 ( more about Webb’s orbit ).
What is the size of James Webb’s primary and secondary mirrors?
Webb’s primary mirror is 6.5 meters (21 feet 4 inches) across; a mirror this large has never before been launched into space. James Webb Space Telescope’s primary mirror at NASA Goddard. The secondary mirror is the round mirror located at the end of the long booms, which are folded into their launch configuration.