Robert Besser
13 May 2022, 21:18 GMT+10
WASHINGTON D.C.: Astronomers said this week that the testing of NASA's new space telescope, the James Webb Space Telescope, is nearly completed, with scientific observations expected to begin in July.
The telescope sent back the latest test pictures of a neighboring satellite galaxy, and the results are better than the images taken by the Spitzer Space Telescope, NASA's previous infrared observatory.
Each of the 18 mirror segments on the new telescope is larger than the single mirror on Spitzer.
University of Arizona's Marcia Rieke, chief scientist for Webb's near-infrared camera, said, "It is not until you actually see the kind of image that it delivers that you really internalize and go 'wow!' Just think of what we are going to learn," as quoted by the Associated Press.
Launched in December, the $10 billion Webb, the largest and most powerful astronomical observatory ever sent into space, will look for light emitted by the first stars and galaxies, close to 14 billion years ago, as well as for possible signs of life.
Scientists are keeping the identity of Webb's first target a secret.
The telescope, positioned 1 million miles from Earth, is considered the successor to the aging Hubble Space Telescope.
Get a daily dose of Denver Sun news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Denver Sun.
More InformationMOSCOW, Russia: Journalists from countries that are "unfriendly" to Russia will be banned from covering this year's St. Petersburg International ...
SAN FRANCISCO, California: Landowners in California participated this week in a class organized by the El Dorado Amador Prescribed Burn ...
RAMALLAH, Wet Bank - A two-and-a-half-year-old Palestinian boy shot in the head by Israeli troops has died in hospitalThe boy, ...
NEWARK, New Jersey: Six years after his 2016 presidential campaign failed to succeed, Chris Christie, former New Jersey Governor, will ...
TOKYO, Japan: To counter the declining national birthrate, Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida pledged to double spending over the next ...
WASHINGTON D.C.: Reuters has reported that on 7th June, former Vice President Mike Pence will enter the race for the ...
SAN FRANCISCO, California: Landowners in California participated this week in a class organized by the El Dorado Amador Prescribed Burn ...
MENLO PARK, California: Facebook parent company Meta Platforms has said it would remove news content in California if the state ...
CHICAGO, Illinois: Driven by an ongoing shortage of properties available on the market, in March US single-family home prices rose ...
Denver [US], June 6 (ANI): Denver Nuggets were defeated by Miami Heat 111-108 in the NBA Finals at the Ball ...
Cleveland Guardians outfielder Will Brennan boasts an unremarkable track record, but the 25-year-old Colorado native may hold the key to ...
Denver [US], June 6 (ANI): Miami Heat defeated Denver Nuggets 111-108, in Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Monday ...