National Geographic's Collectors Corner

Collaborative site for collectors, dealers, & anyone interested in our history.

A Really "Cool" Image from Space

Not really a Nat Geo item, but I'm sure this will be covered in an upcoming issue.  The commissioning of the James Webb Space Telescope is in its final stages.  The mirrors and the instruments have all been aligned and the instruments are being calibrated.  Everyone talks about the Webb replacing Hubble, but that isn't the whole story.  Back when Hubble was new, there was a series of "Great" telescopes: the Hubble (visible light), Spitzer (infrared), Chandra (X-ray), and Compton (Gamma ray).  The Webb is an infrared telescope, that is why it is so freakishly cold, a few degrees above absolute zero.  So, while it's true that the Webb is Hubble's replacement, it is really the next Spitzer.

The Webb has taken images from all its instruments, and one, from the device known as MIRI, was of part of the Large Magellanic Cloud, a nearby galaxy.  That region had also been photographed by Spitzer, before it was retired.  Here are the images from both telescopes for a comparison:

And here is a Gif with the images superimposes, with the Spitzer image fading out while the Webb image fades in:

Tom Wilson

Views: 75

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Thanks for sharing this Tom. You gave me more detail than what I saw about this in passing the other day. 

Here's the link to NGM.com's coverage of the James Webb Space Telescope so far:

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/search?q=james%20webb%20telescop...;

Also, National Geographic has done its share of coverage on the Hubble, as seen here ----> 

RSS

Members

Legal notice about this site

Note: Any sales or trade arrangements are solely between users of this site; The National Geographic Society is not a party to and does not endorse or promote any particular sales or trade arrangements between collectors, dealers, or others. Due to the immediate nature of this medium, National Geographic Online also does not review, censor, approve, edit or endorse information placed on this forum. Discussion boards on National Geographic Online are intended to be appropriate for family members of all ages. Posting of indecent material is strictly prohibited. The placement of advertisements or solicitations unrelated to National Geographic also is prohibited. National Geographic Online shall review information placed on this forum from time to time and delete inappropriate material that comes to its attention as soon as it is practicable, but cannot guarantee that such material will not be found on the forum. By posting material on this discussion board you agree to adhere to this policy prohibiting indecent, offensive or extraneous advertising material, and to legally assume full and sole responsibility for your posting.

© 2024   Created by Cathy Hunter.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service