Космически телескоп Джеймс Уеб (JWST): Първата космическа обсерватория, посветена на изучаването на ранната Вселена

Космически телескоп Джеймс Уеб (JWST) will specialise exclusively in infrared astronomy to study early вселена. It will search for optical/infrared signals from the early звезди and galaxies formed in the Вселена soon after the Big Bang for a better understanding of the formation and evolution of galaxies and the formation of звезди намлява планетарен системи. JWST will also study планетарен systems and the origins of life. The much-awaited JWST is now scheduled to be launched on 18 December 2021.  

Usually, one focusses a telescope at a target to observe. But at times you deliberately focus on nothing and that change the course of a field of study. Decision to focus "Хъбъл" пространство telescope on nothing in the hitherto unexplored fields in the sky was one such incident that changed the course of astronomy. 

Сред много забележителни постижения на "Хъбъл" Космос Telescope (HST), the deep field images taken over the course of 10 days in 1995 when it captured about 3000 images of galaxies at different stages of stellar evolution has revolutionised astronomy and changed our understanding of the вселена.  

Тези дълбоки изображения са формирани от светлината, която е пътувала от най-отдалечените места на вселена за милиарди светлинни години чрез разширяване вселена and had reached Earth now to be captured by the "Хъбъл" telescope after originally emanating from the early звезди and galaxies formed soon after Big Bang about 13 billion years ago. So, as such deep field images denoted early звезди and galaxies as they were then billions of years ago. This was truly remarkable feat.  

Но тази техника за улавяне на първични оптични сигнали за развиване на разбирането на ранните вселена could not be an effective methodological tool due to the fact discovered in 1929 by Edwin "Хъбъл" че вселена се разширява и всички галактики се отдалечават една от друга, както се вижда от червеното изместване на галактика’s spectrum to higher wavelengths in infrared (IR) region. But the "Хъбъл" telescope is equipped to observe in UV, visible and near-infrared region hence the need for an exclusive infrared обсерватория in пространство.  

- Космически телескоп Джеймс Уеб (JWST) is thus a successor to the "Хъбъл" пространство telescope (HST) in the sense that the Джеймс Уеб telescope aims to carry forward the "Хъбъл" telescope’s legacy in the area of study of early вселена. JWST will operate exclusively in infrared astronomy and has following four key goals: 

Заради тези причини, JWST needed to be different from "Хъбъл" telescope in design and operation. It is a reflecting telescope designed to capture near-infrared radiations from ultra-deep fields with a large origami-style mirror that makes it 100 times more powerful than "Хъбъл", Всъщност, JWST е най-големият пространство telescope ever. To maintain its unprecedented infrared sensitivity, JWST has protection from infrared contamination from sun through a highly effective 5-layer sunshield. Further, to help maintain its very low operating temperature of 50 Kelvin (-223° C or -370° F), JWST will be placed in an орбита around the sun in the cold shadow of Earth all the time near the second Lagrange point (L2) of the Earth-Sun system at a distance of about 1.5 million km from Earth.  

Поставянето на JWST near far off Sun-Earth system L2 орбита means, unlike "Хъбъл" telescope which received several repairs and maintenance in the пространство, JWST will be completely on its own after launch therefore there is no scope of any error at all. Perhaps this explains why launch of JWST is almost eternally delayed.  

Сега, JWST is planned to be launched on 18 December 2021.  

As on 02 November 2021, JWST has already safely arrived at its launch site in French Guiana and the technical team is preparing for lift off on 18 December.  

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Източници:  

1. NASA 2021. Webb telescope – The Road to Launch and Beyond for NASA’s James Webb Космос Telescope. Posted 02 November 2021. Available online at https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2021/the-road-to-launch-and-beyond-for-nasa-s-james-webb-space-telescope  

2. НАСА. JWST – Общи въпроси за Webb. Предлага се онлайн на https://www.jwst.nasa.gov/content/about/faqs/faq.html  

3. НАСА. JWST – Ключови факти. Предлага се онлайн на https://jwst.nasa.gov/content/features/keyFactsInternational/ 

1. ЕКА. Наука и изследване. Уеб – Виждам по-нататък. Предлага се онлайн на https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Webb 

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