You should blast off.
The most powerful space telescope has successfully launched. One million miles from Earth, the James Webb Space Telescope is en route to its observing position.
The instrument was launched from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana. On December 25th. Launching from the equator gives heavy payloads an extra kick into space.
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It all unfolded without a hitch after numerous delays, including a last-minute weather-related hiccup that disrupted a Dec. 24 launch just a couple days prior. The host of NASA's live stream said that the Ariane 5 rocket launch was as flawless as you can imagine, despite cloudy skies.
Cheers erupted in NASA's mission control center as the final separation from the rockets that brought it to space was completed. The telescope powered on as NASA's team on the ground took control.
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The telescope will pass the moon in a few days and then unfurl its sun shield. The shade will block the sun, Earth, and moon from interfering with the deep-space observations. The unfurling is a critical part of the operation and involves the release of over 100 pins, extended booms, and other moving parts. The telescope's large hexagonal mirrors must fold into place as well. After leaving Earth, the most complex sequence of deployment ever attempted in a single space mission will begin.
If everything goes according to plan, JWST will begin its operations in around 160 days.
Astronomers have designs for a $10 billion telescope.
The giant mirror of the JWST will allow it to see the farthest, faintest light in the universe. In an ever-expanding universe, this means looking back in time at light that's too far off for other telescopes to see. The light from the first stars and galaxies is over 13 billion years old. Christine Chen, an astronomer at the Space Telescope Science Institute, said that they are looking back in time.
The universe is obscured by thick clouds of dust and gas, sometimes the leftovers of exploded stars. Our eyes and normal telescopes can't see the light that slips through the obscuring clouds, but that's not the case with JWST. The stars and objects currently hidden beyond the dust will be revealed by JWST. Jean Creighton, an astronomer and the director of the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee's Manfred Olson Planetarium, told Mashable that it lifted the veil.
During the first year of operation, scientists will use a quarter of their time to view planets in other solar systems. The telescope's specialized instruments will analyze what the atmosphere is made of, and possibly find similar environments to Earth.
An engineer is above a telescope. The side mirrors are folded. Chris Gunn is credited with NASA.
After years of delays, NASA and observers are wishing for a successful deployment of the JWST in the coming month. Unprecedented views of the universe are riding on it.
"Everyone's crossing their fingers," said a University of Nevada, Las Vegas professor who is researching exoplanets.
Additional reporting by Adam Rosenberg.
