James Webb Space Telescope

[Sundancefisher]

This 10 billion dollar beast had a cool NASA site to watch its deployment process

https://webb.nasa.gov/content/webbLa...ereIsWebb.html

My bet is just before it goes fully operational… our alien overlords will disable it by making it look like an accident or technical failure. Maybe stray rocks in the L2.

Otherwise… it’s turned on, we see some aliens in compromising positions and boom… earth gets destroyed.

The first batch of photos will be historic.

Can hardly wait.

[Grizzly Adams1]

If this one has astigmatism, Ten billion bucks down the drain. Amazing, there are real problems on earth that we can't fund , but there is always money for these Pie in the Sky projects, just how much do we really need to know and what would be the practical applications ? Any "life" or inhabitable planet we discovered would merely be a curiosity , the distances involved are that extreme.

Grizz

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams1

If this one has astigmatism, Ten billion bucks down the drain. Amazing, there are real problems on earth that we can't fund , but there is always money for these Pie in the Sky projects, just how much do we really need to know and what would be the practical applications ? Any "life" or inhabitable planet we discovered would merely be a curiosity , the distances involved are that extreme.

Grizz

One has to think 10 billion would fix some of the water problems in the world as well as improve food self sufficiency.

However we have a new and likely amazing view into the universe coming.

Very interested in seeing what new discoveries are coming.

Trusting he thing works. It’s not going to be close enough for repairs like the Hubble.

[Sundancefisher]

Sun shield has been successfully deployed. First major hurdle passed.

[barsik]

Originally Posted by Sundancefisher

Sun shield has been successfully deployed. First major hurdle passed.

the sunshield was the most worrisome operation on the JWST. hopefully the remainder of the operations will be completed without any issues. I've been waiting a long time for this, years in fact.

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by barsik

the sunshield was the most worrisome operation on the JWST. hopefully the remainder of the operations will be completed without any issues. I've been waiting a long time for this, years in fact.

Secondary mirror deployed successfully.

Looks like 13 days to deploy primary mirrors.

2/3 of the way to L2

[RandyBoBandy]

If you have FB, this page has all the up to date news https://www.facebook.com/groups/1377...59747192056170
Just have to ask to join...intriguing updates

[Cigarguy]

Exciting stuff. Been following what is happening and I'm amaze the the challenges and science involved. Hope everything continues to go smoothly.

[barsik]

the JWST main mirror is fully deployed and most of the other instruments are also up and operational. last tricky bit is to get inserted into the L2 Lagrange orbit. we won't be getting any deep space data for about 6 months, the mirror and camera needs to be calibrated plus the scope needs to cool down. good luck NASA.

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by barsik

the JWST main mirror is fully deployed and most of the other instruments are also up and operational. last tricky bit is to get inserted into the L2 Lagrange orbit. we won't be getting any deep space data for about 6 months, the mirror and camera needs to be calibrated plus the scope needs to cool down. good luck NASA.

Apparently everything has gone relatively perfect… to the point now they have 20 years of manoeuvring fuel versus 10.

That should also help in reaching L2 if they needed extra adjustments although online they now say the trajectory set out from Ariane rocket launch is near perfect. They haven’t needed much fuel burn.

Now the question will be after all the fine tuning… will the aliens blow it up before or after we take pictures of them on an alien latrine?

[Sundancefisher]

https://www.jwst.nasa.gov/content/we...ereIsWebb.html

[barsik]

Originally Posted by Sundancefisher

https://www.jwst.nasa.gov/content/we...ereIsWebb.html

yes, I've been watching its' progress too on the same website. thanks for posting it for other likewise minded individuals. I notice the velocity of the JWST has been dropping for more than a week or so now. getting very close to the L2 point now.

[scesfiremedic]

Thursday night I saw a Boeing 747SP (shortened version) flying just east of Calgary at 39,000 feet on Flightradar24 app with call sign NASA - Googled it and NASA has this 747 outfitted with a 2.7-meter (106-inch) reflecting telescope (with an effective diameter of 2.5 meters or 100 inches). Flying into the stratosphere at 38,000-45,000 feet puts SOFIA above 99 percent of Earth’s infrared-blocking atmosphere, allowing astronomers to study the solar system and beyond in ways that are not possible with ground-based telescopes. SOFIA is made possible through a partnership between NASA and the German Space Agency at DLR. pretty cool!

https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/S...iew/index.html

Images it’s taken here: https://www.sofia.usra.edu/multimedi...c-observations

[Cigarguy]

Watched a documentary on Sofia not that long ago. Can't remember the name of the show but it was fascinating.

[barsik]

the last 20 years or so have been a bit of a renaissance for building ever more sophisticated and advanced telescopes for exploring the cosmos. the VLT project is a prime example, built on a mountaintop in the Atacama desert I think. thousands of planets have been found orbiting around distant stars. I think one of the first stars and planetary systems the JWST is going to explore is Proxima Centari. great time to be alive if you have a curiosity about the universe.

[Cigarguy]

Absolutely.

I'm still amazed at what they've been able to pull off so far. It's one thing to build a terrestrial based telescope where access is relatively easy but another have it unfolded and working so far away and in such cold temperatures.

[barsik]

the JWST has successfully entered its' L2 orbit!!!!!!! woohoo!!!!all systems are optimal. this is the most complex mission NASA has undertaken and it is a success. now the mirrors and the rest of the instruments have to cool down to ambient space temp before they can get images and data.

[Sundancefisher]

https://www.jwst.nasa.gov/content/we...countdown.html

They had a small micro meteor hit the mirrors but they say they can still operate just fine.

Fingers crossed.

The alien sunbathers are going to flip out when they find out they are on Fox News.

[chuckb]

I think that the James Webb will reveal new details about the beginning of the universe that will surprise scientists and cause a big rethink of the big bang theory.

[Jays toyz]

Originally Posted by Sundancefisher

My bet is just before it goes fully operational… our alien overlords will disable it by making it look like an accident or technical failure. Maybe stray rocks in the L2.

Well that's an accurate guess.

Regarding sofia
She done

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sour...e_SYqYUpO__KJo

[Sundancefisher]

https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/na...172517196.html

Alien boudoir photos? Potential life sustaining planets? Blurry image of a distance star.

What will it be?

[barsik]

jwst has the capability of detecting certain gases in distant planet atmospheres which may be a clue as to whether biological activity may be happening on the surface. not an absolute indicator of life, but the probability of life is possible. fantastic ride we are on in comparison to only a hundred years ago.

[Sundancefisher]

First photos

https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/g...f-universe-yet

[barsik]

Originally Posted by Sundancefisher

First photos

https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/g...f-universe-yet

absolutely breathtaking and humbling. the universe is vast beyond the ability of human comprehension

[Drewski Canuck]

How many hundred galaxies are visible in that one frame alone? Imagine the number of stars in EACH of these galaxies, let alone all of the combined stars.

Truly humbling.

Drewski

[Sundancefisher]

[Sundancefisher]

[Stinky Buffalo]

That is so amazing. Wow!

[Ken07AOVette]

[Sooner]

Originally Posted by Ken07AOVette

That's pretty funny Ken. Good laugh today.