A critical stage of the James Webb Space Telescope's mirror alignment has been completed, keeping the state-of-the-art observatory on track to commence science observations in a few months.
On March 11, the telescope completed its final round of fine phasing to correct alignment errors. No issues have been identified, and the Webb team is sure that every optical parameter is working as well as it can.
To demonstrate its capabilities, Webb focused on a single star, named 2MASS J17554042+6551277, more commonly known asThis bright object, around 2,000 light-years away, is just over 16 times intrinsically brighter than the Sun – a nice, clear target for Webb. A red filter was used to optimize visual contrast; and, although the telescope was just looking at the star, its instruments are so sensitive that background stars and galaxies can also be seen.
The alignment of these mirrors is crucial; they need to be within nanometers to form a single mirror surface. Considering that the telescope is not in easy reach for service missions, having everything operating perfectly is crucial.
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