Space

Rare time-lapse of Webb mirror rollover

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May 7, 2016

The James Webb Space Telescope, scheduled to launch in October, 2018, is currently sitting in the world’s largest clean room at NASA’s Goddard Spaceflight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. This past week, the team working on the telescope lifted and turned it for the first time.

Next step: installing the telescope’s science instruments to the back of the mirrors!

Notice the telescope’s gold mirror surfaces. It doesn’t just look gold; it is a real gold coating on the beryllium mirrors. NASA says the large primary and rounded secondary mirror on this telescope are specially designed to reflect infrared light.

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May 7, 2016

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Space

Deborah Byrd

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About the Author:

Deborah Byrd (asteroid 3505 Byrd) helps edit EarthSky.org and is a frequent host of EarthSky videos. Deborah created the EarthSky radio series in 1991 and founded EarthSky.org in 1994. Prior to that, she had worked for the University of Texas McDonald Observatory since 1976, and created and produced their Star Date radio series. She has won a galaxy of awards from the broadcasting and science communities, including having an asteroid named in her honor in 1990, a Public Service Award from the National Science Board in 2003, and the Education Prize from the American Astronomical Society in 2020. A science communicator and educator since 1976, Byrd believes in science as a force for good in the world and a vital tool for the 21st century. "Being an EarthSky editor is like hosting a big global party for cool nature-lovers," she says.