The researchers who will be using the James Webb Space Telescope are preparing for their science campaigns as the telescope gets ready to begin science operations this summer. The objects and distant stars that will be studied by the telescope are targets in our own solar system, according to a recent NASA post.
I am excited about the upcoming first year of science operations. My team will be observing much closer to home, even though they can detect the faint light of the earliest galaxies. Some of the mysteries of our own solar system will be solved with the help of Webb.
It may seem surprising that the telescope is being used to look relatively close to home, given how powerful it is. By observing targets in the solar system, researchers can test the limits of Webb's capabilities, such as its ability to detect faint light sources, like Jupiter's rings. Researchers can find out more about what kinds of science they can use in the future if they learn more about bodies in the solar system.
The Hubble Space Telescope can be used to look far away in the solar system, and some missions don't look at the outer planets.
When it begins science operations this summer, the program will look at a variety of targets in the solar system, including giant planets and rings. In its first year, 7% of the time will be focused on objects within our solar system.
There is a study of Jupiter's moon Europa, which has some intriguing water activity. There is a liquid ocean beneath an icy crust on Europa, which is a promising location for searching for planets outside of Earth. High-resolution images of Europa will be taken to look at its surface. The chemical composition of a plume can be seen by using the wavelength of light absorbed by it.
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