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The James Webb Space Telescope, the most powerful space observatory ever built, is now tentatively set for launch on Christmas Day, after decades of waiting.
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An engineering marvel, it will help answer fundamental questions about the Universe, peering back in time 13 billion years. Here are five things to know.

- Giant gold mirror

The telescope's centerpiece is its enormous primary mirror, a concave structure 21.5 feet (6.5 meters) wide and made up of 18 smaller hexagonal mirrors. They're made from beryllium coated with gold, optimized for reflecting infrared light from the far reaches of the universe.

The observatory also has four scientific instruments, which together fulfill two main purposes: imaging cosmic objects, and spectroscopy -- breaking down light into separate wavelengths to study the physical and chemical properties of cosmic matter.

The mirror and instruments are protected by a five-layer sunshield, which is shaped like a kite and built to unfurl to the size of a tennis court.

Its membranes are composed of kapton, a material known for its high heat resistance and stability under a wide temperature range -- both vital, since the Sun-facing side of the shield will get as hot as 230 degrees Fahrenheit (110 degrees Celsius), while the other side will reach lows of -394F.
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The telescope also has a "spacecraft bus" containing its subsystems for electrical power, propulsion, communications, orientation, heating and data handling; all told, Webb weighs around as much as a school bus.

- Million-mile journey

The telescope will be placed in orbit about a million miles from Earth, roughly four times the distance of our planet from the Moon.

Unlike Hubble, the current premier space telescope that revolves around the planet, Webb will orbit the Sun.

It will remain directly behind Earth, from the point of view of the Sun, allowing it to remain on our planet's night side. Webb's sunshield will always be between the mirror and our star.

It will take about a month to reach this region in space, known as the second Lagrange point, or L2. While astronauts have been sent to repair Hubble, no humans have ever traveled as far as Webb's planned orbit.

- High-tech origami

Because the telescope is too large to fit into a rocket's nose cone in its operational configuration, it has to be transported folded, origami style. Unfurling is a complex and challenging task, the most daunting deployment NASA has ever attempted.

About 30 minutes after take-off, the communications antenna and solar panels supplying it with energy will be deployed.

Then comes the unfurling of the sunshield, hitherto folded like an accordion, beginning on the sixth day, well after having passed the Moon. Its thin membranes will be guided by a complex mechanism involving 400 pulleys and 1,312 feet of cable.

During the second week will finally come the mirror's turn to open. Once in its final configuration, the instruments will need to cool and be calibrated, and the mirrors very precisely adjusted.
After six months the telescope will be ready to go.

- Life, the universe, and everything
Webb has two primary scientific missions, which together will account for more than 50 percent of its observation time. First, explore the early phases of cosmic history, looking back in time to only a few hundred million years after the Big Bang.

Astronomers want to see how the very first stars and galaxies formed, and how they evolve over time.

Its second major goal is the discovery of exoplanets, meaning planets outside the solar system. It will also investigate the potential for life on those worlds by studying their atmospheres.

The great promise of Webb lies in its infrared capacity.

Unlike the ultraviolet and visible light Hubble mostly operates in, the longer wavelengths of infrared penetrate dust more easily, allowing the early universe shrouded in clouds to come more clearly into view.

Infrared also lets scientists go further back in time because of a phenomenon called redshifting. Light from objects farther away is stretched as the universe expands, towards the infrared end of the spectrum.

Also planned are closer observations, in our solar system, of Mars and of Europa, Jupiter's icy moon.

- Decades in the making

Astronomers began debating the telescope that should succeed Hubble in the 1990s, with Webb's construction beginning in 2004.

Launch has been pushed back several times, initially penciled for 2007, then 2018...mainly because of the complexities associated with development.

The observatory is the result of an immense international collaboration, and integrates Canadian and European instruments.

More than 10,000 people worked on the project, with the budget eventually snowballing to around $10 billion.

The mission is set to last for at least five years, but hopefully 10 or more.

Source: https://www.msn.com/en-xl/money/tech-and-science/five-things-to-know-about-the-james-webb-space-telescope/ar-AAS3fwx?ocid=wispr&li=BBKxOg5

cc: lalasticlala
seun
mynd44

Quite insightful!

Enjoy!!

MrRector75:
Amazing Nairaland younger brother. Nice business idea from Seun. Great Innovation in Ghana

nairalanders let's storm that site and give them headache. They are already insulting naija girls in there

Teripaul:
am attempt to screw with teddy,
is wh.ore askin to be raped!

you're a psycho dude, u need to be in a rehab.
funny thing is it took u 2hrs to come up with that.

Candidlady:

Swear me too iwas shockd

the guy don see say level pass level

Teripaul:
belike say u smoke wind pipe. . ?

no be everybody be your mate

[quote author=Teripaul post=108334865][/quote]hey dude. You feel me dawg.
come let's continue

To marry sef don dey fear me

This is serious

Sighted!!! TRP is golden

Teripaul:
did u accept? No, . . U didnt, u are afraid of getting pummel and bagged

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Another one on the loose. It seems nairaland is home to yabaleft escapees

AoifeNightfall:
Prove it or remain silent forever Mr. Ahmback.

it's obvious

Teripaul:
see hw fuulish u are u even went and misquoted what i said. Isn't that stupidity? bro u are jux unstable with thinkin, and u have a low reasoninq. . Siofra left a msg 4 u dat u haven't reply. Ya here showin up ur stupidity. . unproductive human beinq with psychiatric brain tumor

You asked me for a trolling challenge, what's the fuse/fury about.

I can see u peeping @ lintune

Teripaul:

---

go and continue ur palm wine sellin that ur father left for u. dnt tempt with me, im a wretched drunkard..

oops! Not everyone's dad are as irresponsible as yours tho.

you're just another tool in the devil's workshop

Teripaul:

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set a thread lets troll . . Am a rapper with punchline like fury/. . me against u? Nah nega dats bully!

wack. Your kinds are the one that write 5 albums in a week.
¤your punchlines seem hungry
or maybe u're just ho.rny

Teripaul:
leave the innocent gal alone. Lets troll?

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amhback? Name sounding weird like banta and joke/ check his color, niqqa lookin lyk a mixture of fanta and coke/

buh forget, am nt here to counter and poke/ u luking like u are in anger and broke/ buh u cudnt defend ur self, reason u abt to flew frm siofra joke.

you missed the shot. Try again.

AoifeNightfall:
I just saw your DP. Aren't you ashamed of yourself? You're that ugly and you didn't think you were supposed to hide your repulsive face?

That dude is clearly handsome and more presentable than you are []

Teripaul:
So whats ur point?

I'm giving trolls like her nightmares

Afrobasic:
Na you dey cause global warming

you will never make heaven

Okay. Noted

Don't quit the job save u have another one waiting for you.

The dirty biitch created a new account after getting banned.

siofra is the same shit as aoifenightfall

You go soon deactivate. Make the elders come first

Ashawo, olosho, hookup, runs, it's now escort

AfroKnight:
Lol.

What’s your business? She’s the one who cheated not you.

Don’t forget the main issue. She cheated. Dump her. Never remain in a relationship with a woman who cheats.

if he does that don't u think he might get involved too with the consequences of the oath?