AUDIO: Webb telescope takes its first images, an isolated star near the Big Dipper

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Webb telescope first images
  • Runtime: 1:20
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NASA’S JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE  THAT LAUNCHED ON DECEMBER 25TH IS NOW COMPLETING ITS FIRST PHASE. CRONKITE NEWS’S THALIA (TAL-lee-uh) LOPEZ REPORTS ON ITS HISTORICAL FINDINGS. 

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TL: THE WEBB TELESCOPE IS NOW SENDING BACK IMAGES OF A SINGLE STAR. THAT’S AFTER A LENGTHY PROCESS OF ALIGNING THE OBSERVATORY’S PRIMARY MIRROR. THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA’S LED NEAR INFRARED CAMERA (NIRCAM) WAS USED TO COLLECT LIGHT AND IDENTIFY THE ISOLATED STAR NEAR THE BIG DIPPER. 18 MIRROR SEGMENTS WORKED TOGETHER TO CAPTURE DATA OF THE STAR, SLIGHTLY BEING ADJUSTED OVER TIME. 

THOSE IMAGES WILL BE STITCHED TOGETHER TO CREATE AN ENTIRE IMAGE OF THE STAR. THE IMAGE WILL BE READY THIS SUMMER ACCORDING TO MARCIA RIEKE, PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR FOR THE NIRCAM INSTRUMENT AT U-ARIZONA. 

MR: “So we are taking data off step by step to get those to where they will be delivering the beautiful images that we will show off. We’re hoping by something like, in June, will show the first real science images.” 

TL: RIEKE SAYS THERE WERE MANY NAYSAYERS WHO THOUGHT THIS VOYAGE WAS TOO COMPLICATED TO WORK BUT SHE SAYS SHE’S  PROUD OF THE  INTERNATIONAL TEAM THAT MADE IT POSSIBLE.  

MR: “We come together, work together and have produced a telescope that is going to take data, that will completely change the face of astronomy.”

IMAGES WILL CONTINUE TO BECOME CLEARER IN THE COMING MONTHS AS THREE OTHER INSTRUMENTS REACH OPERATING TEMPERATURES AND BEGIN CAPTURING DATA. 

THALIA LOPEZ CRONKITE NEWS.