But JWST’s speed of discovery goes beyond its intrinsic capabilities. Astronomers have prepared for its observations for years, developing algorithms that can quickly turn their data into usable information. Much of the data is open access, allowing the astronomy community to comb through data almost as quickly as it comes in. Its operators also planned as many observations as possible, drawing on lessons learned from the observatory’s predecessor, Hubble.
For some, the sheer amount of extraordinary data comes as a surprise. “This exceeded our expectations,” said Heidi Hamel, a NASA JWST interdisciplinary scientist and vice president of science for the Astronomical Research Association at the University of Washington, DC. “Once we’re in operational mode, it’s non-stop. Every hour we’re watching a galaxy, an exoplanet or star formation. It’s like a fire hose.”
Now, months later, the JWST continues to send stunned astronomers here on Earth a flood of data that promises to change our understanding of the distant universe, exoplanets, planet formation, galactic structure and more. Not everyone likes this rushed event, which sometimes reflects an emphasis on the speed of the scientific process, but there’s no doubt that JWST is reaching a global audience at breakneck speed. The floodgates have been opened — and they won’t be closing anytime soon.
open the pipe
The JWST orbits the sun at a stable point 1.5 million kilometers from Earth. Its gigantic gold-plated primary mirror, as tall as a giraffe, is protected from the sun’s glare by a tennis court-sized sunshade, allowing unprecedented views of the universe in infrared light.
telescope is haven’t seen you for a long time. Originally conceived in the 1980s, it was planned to launch circa 2007, cost $1 billion. But its complexity caused widespread delays, eating up money, until at some point it was Dubbing “The telescope that eats up astronomy.” When the JWST finally launches in December 2021, its estimated cost has ballooned to nearly $10 billion.
Even after posting, there were moments of anxiety. It takes a month for the telescope to reach its target location beyond lunar orbit, requiring hundreds of moving parts to deploy its various components, including the huge sunshield necessary to keep infrared-sensitive instruments cool.
