JWST Science Pub v1 2

EDITION: 1.
WebbTelescope.org
James Webb
Space Telescope
Science Guide
CHAPTER 1
Introduction
We can see the beginning; the birth of stars, new solar

systems, and evolving galaxies. A new telescope orbiting
nearly a million miles from Earth, seeing in a light invisible
to human eyes – gazing into the past, watching the
universe come into being.
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HubbleSite & WebbTelescope
Produced by the Space Telescope Science Institute
Version: 1.2
Viewing in portrait orientation removes
Release date: December, 2012 several layout features.
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The James Webb Space Telescope is NASA's next orbiting observatory and the
successor to the Hubble Space Telescope. A tennis court-sized telescope orbiting
far beyond Earth's moon, Webb will detect infrared radiation and be capable of
seeing in that wavelength as well as Hubble sees in visible light. The Webb Space Telescope
embodies our most ambitious
Infrared vision is vital to our understanding of the universe. The furthest objects
we can detect are seen in infrared light, cooler objects that would otherwise be
expression of pure human curiosity
invisible emit infrared, and infrared light pierces clouds of dust, allowing us to and intellectual innovation.
see into their depths. Webb will unleash a torrent of new discoveries, opening Webb’s mission is to understand
the door to a part of the universe that has just begun to take shape under
cosmic evolution: how young
humanity's observations.
structures become planets, stars,
Right now, scientists and engineers from NASA, the European Space Agency, and and galaxies.
the Canadian Space Agency are piecing Webb together, creating through cutting-
edge technology an innovative observatory that not only withstands intense cold,
but uses it to its advantage; an observatory that folds up inside a rocket for launch
and unfurls like a butterfly opening its wings upon nearing its orbit. Later this
decade, the Webb telescope will launch into space, sailing to the distant, isolated
orbit where it will begin its quest. Supernovae and black holes, baby galaxies and
planets' potential for supporting life – Webb will help reveal the answers to some of
the biggest mysteries of astronomy.
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SECT ION 1
Sifting Through Cosmic Time
Figure 1.1 Webb Reflects the Cosmos (artist’s impression)
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The James Webb Space Telescope will The Webb Space Telescope promises to carry us along on an even grander journey
be a cosmic time machine...
of exploration and discovery than was first begun by Hubble over two decades ago.
• Observing the first galaxies ... If Hubble’s history is any example, Webb’s most important discoveries will provide
• Tracking the evolution of galaxies ... insights into as yet unimagined celestial phenomena.
• Revealing the birth of stars and
planets ... Interactive 1.1 3D Model of JWST
• Characterizing other worlds with the
potential for life.
A Vision for the Future

Uncovering the Secrets of Our Cosmic
Beginnings
The Hubble Space Telescope’s

trailblazing discoveries clearly show us
that we need to explore even more
deeply into the universe. This is the
promise of Hubble’s successor, the
James Webb Space Telescope. New
mysteries await Webb’s penetrating
vision into the infrared universe, as well
as answers to questions as old as
human imagination: How did stars,
galaxies and planets come into
existence? Are we alone in the universe?
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An “island universe” in the Coma Cluster Ancient galaxy cluster still producing stars Artist's view of an extrasolar planet
Cosmic Dawn Seeking New Worlds Seeking Living Planets

The evidence is compelling that the Our pinwheel Milky Way Galaxy We live in cosmic isolation on a small
universe began 13.7 billion years ago sparkles with the radiance of more than world – the only bastion of life we know.
as an expanding cauldron of 100 billion stars. Our Sun and its With each new planetary discovery,
phenomenal energies and exotic planets have been residents of this however, chances of life among the
particles at the boundary of known galaxy for 4.5 billion years. But even our stars grow ever stronger, though signs
physics. But how did the myriad stars own planet and Sun have yet to give up of it still elude us. Webb will have the
and galaxies arise from this raw fury? the secrets of their origins. By looking resolution and sensitivity to scrutinize
Webb will at last show us what deep into stellar nurseries elsewhere in planets around nearby stars for the
happened. It will see the very earliest the galaxy, we will at last understand spectral fingerprint of water vapor.
galaxies, and perhaps even the first the genesis of planets like Earth. Webb might even measure the
exploding stars. chemical by-products of life: an
abundance of oxygen, carbon dioxide
and methane in a world’s atmosphere.
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The Need for Infrared Vision To extend their vision farther into space, astronomers will
In 1994, just four years after the launch of the Hubble Space need the power to detect fainter objects and the capability to
Telescope, astronomers began imagining what the next great look farther down the spectrum into the shadowy realm of
space observatory would be. Though remarkable strides were infrared light.
being made by Hubble in unlocking the mysteries of the
universe, a compelling science case for a new kind of
telescope was emerging, one that would operate far from Interactive 1.2 Visible vs. Infrared: A Stellar Jet in Carina
Earth, larger than any launched into space, and optimized to
see in the infrared.
In astronomy, the infrared portion of the electromagnetic

spectrum is prized for its wealth of scientific data. And, as
the Hubble Space Telescope revolutionized optical
astronomy, a next-generation observatory would do the
same for the infrared, which holds the key to the very
ancient, very distant universe.
As starlight travels billions of light-years across space it

succumbs to the effects of the expansion of the universe.
Over the course of their cosmic journey, as space itself
expands, light waves become stretched, or shifted, to longer
and redder wavelengths of energy. Eventually, visible light
from the most distant stars becomes stretched to the point Hubble images demonstrate how observations taken in visible and in
that it is now only detected in the infrared. So the earliest stars infrared light reveal dramatically different and complementary views of
and the first galaxies fade from view, in part from extreme an object.
cosmic distances and in part because space itself continues
its break-neck expansion begun by the Big Bang.
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Interactive 1.3 Whirlpool Galaxy Seen in Different Wavelengths Figure 1.2 Binary Brown Dwarf Stars
(artist's concept)
The primary brown dwarf in this illustration is

surrounded by a disk of material. Brown dwarfs
are too small and cool to shine like stars but
too massive and hot to be classified as planets.
Infrared light is also prized because it

can reveal the otherwise invisible, cold,
dark universe. Many enticing objects in
space give off little or no visible light.
Among these are failed stars known as
brown dwarfs, forming stars and young
planets, and the icy bodies in the outer
At shorter wavelengths (visible light), the Whirlpool Galaxy’s light comes mainly from stars. At
longer wavelengths (infrared light), this starlight fades and we see the glow of interstellar dust. suburbs of our solar system. These
objects and many others shine brightly
With its longer wavelengths, infrared radiation passes much more readily through in the infrared, awaiting the Webb
dense molecular clouds, which are impenetrable to visible light. These light-year– telescope to expand our vision and
spanning collections of dust and gas are stellar nurseries, where new stars burst into open up vast new portions of the
life and planets coalesce from dusty debris rings. cosmos to study.
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Webb will study the universe in two major science themes in the report were cosmic dawn, new worlds and the physics
ways: by capturing images in infrared of the universe. The Webb telescope will play a leading scientific role in the first two
light, and through spectroscopy. priorities, while providing essential support for the third theme. In its most recent
report, the 2010 Decadal Survey for Astronomy, the National Academy of Sciences
Spectroscopy is the breaking of light (NAS) emphasizes the Webb telescope’s pivotal role in the future of astronomy,
into its component colors for study and both independently and in collaboration with other next-generation ground- and
analysis. Just as a prism can be used to space-based observatories.
separate light into colors, a
spectrograph spreads light into its Figure 1.3 Spectroscopic Analysis of Three Planets
various wavelengths, allowing them to
be examined for details about the
elements the object contains, its
velocity, and its redshift.
The science case for infrared

astronomy is clear and compelling, as
strongly endorsed by the National
Research Council in two successive
decadal astronomy studies.
In 2001, the highest priority for large,

space-based missions was the James
Webb Space Telescope. In August
2010, the National Research Council
again set their science priorities, and it
was clear that the Webb telescope
Spectroscopy can help us identify the composition of planets’ atmospheres. By studying the dips
would be essential to pursue these and peaks in spectrographic lines, scientists can differentiate between planets whose
compelling research areas. The three atmospheres resemble those of Mars, Earth and Venus.
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Unveiling the Cool, Dark Cosmos borne instruments and were later installed on high-flying
The 18th-century British astronomer Sir Frederick William aircraft. These initial experiments yielded indistinct but
Herschel was the first to discover that there were types of light tantalizing images, revealing for the first time an entire
that cannot be seen. His experiments revealed energies universe previously hidden from view.
beyond the red portion of the visible spectrum called infrared
light, which human bodies are equipped to perceive as heat. To advance our understanding, however, infrared
When we warm our hands over a fire, for instance, we are astronomy would also need to undergo a series of
experiencing infrared radiation. evolutionary advances. So the quest began to find more
ideal observing platforms and to spur new innovations in
Scientists didn’t begin unlocking the secrets of the infrared infrared detectors.
universe, however, until a century later. In the 1960s, research
into this new realm began modestly, as infrared detectors Mountaintop observatories addressed the principal need for
were first floated high into Earth’s atmosphere by balloon- a better and more stable window on the universe.
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Astronomers prized these locales for their high and dry (IRAS) mapped the entire sky and found it ablaze with
conditions, which are essential for near- and mid-infrared infrared sources; this led to the Spitzer Space Telescope, a
astronomy. But even the thin mountain air poses challenges larger and more sophisticated instrument and one of NASA’s
that limited the potential for infrared astronomy. The Great Observatories. Spitzer, along with Hubble, paved the
atmosphere itself, even in the coldest of conditions, emits way for envisioning and perfecting the technology for Webb,
an infrared glow that blocks part of the infrared light. If which combines the best aspects of both Great
astronomers were to have a pristine view of the universe in Observatories. Webb has the resolution of Hubble and the
the infrared, they would have to travel beyond the confines infrared wavelength coverage of Spitzer, yet with much
of Earth’s atmosphere. higher sensitivity.
This new high-flying approach began when the first space-

based infrared telescope was launched into orbit in the
1980s. NASA’s pioneering Infrared Astronomical Satellite
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SECT ION 2
The Giant Space Mirror
Figure 1.4 Inspecting Uncoated Webb Primary Mirror Segments
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Figure 1.5 Observatory Comparison: Probing the Early Universe
Webb will have seven times the

collecting area of the Hubble
Space Telescope and 50 times the
area of the Spitzer Space
Telescope’s mirror.
especially important because of a

fundamental property of light: the longer
the wavelength, the lower the resolution.
To achieve this size, Webb follows a

proven technology path now used on
the largest telescopes on Earth – build
large by building in segments. Pioneered
on the 32.8-foot (10-meter) Keck
telescopes in Hawaii, this technology is
The next phase of infrared astronomy would do more than simply build on these enabling Webb’s mirror to surpass all
remarkable pioneering instruments. The Webb telescope would be in every way a previous space telescopes in size and
superior instrument, utilizing both innovations in optical and mechanical engineering power. Comprising 18 hexagonal
to create the largest mirror ever launched into space. The size of Webb’s primary segments, each 4.27 feet (1.3 meters)
mirror is unprecedented for a space telescope and is essential to bring infrared across, Webb’s mirror segments will
astronomy to a new level of exploration. For all wavelengths, a larger mirror means achieve the same performance as a
greater sensitivity and the ability to see fine detail. For an infrared telescope, this is single 6.5-meter mirror.
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CHAPTER 2
Science Overview
Webb’s exploration of the universe begins where the most

powerful modern observatories reach their limits.
Science mission goals:

• Search for the earliest stars and galaxies
• Map the evolution of galaxies
• Study star and planet formation in the universe today
• Search for the potential for life in the universe
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Key Science Questions for Webb The James Webb Space Telescope will bring us ever closer to the point when the
• When do stars begin to truly bond first supermassive stars burst into life. From these ancient cosmic origins, Webb will
together into objects we call galaxies? chart the growth of galaxies from amorphous masses of perhaps millions of stars to
the giant spiral shapes, home to the hundreds of billions of stars we see today.
• What was the role of stars and galaxies
in reionizing the universe?
It will reveal the chaotic and turbulent regions in which gravity has bound enough
• What are the processes that drove material to ignite fusion, creating new stars, and study the swirling disks around
galaxy formation? those young stars that give rise to new planets.
• What is the relationship between black
holes and galaxy formation? It will use its sophisticated instruments to sample the light from planets around
distant stars, looking for traces of water and the chemistry of life.
• How did early stars form?
• What was the nature of the first

supernovae that exploded in the early
universe?
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SECT ION 1
Dark Ages to First Light
Movie 2.1 Simulation of the Formation of the First Mini-Galaxies in the Universe
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Cosmic dawn, or the epoch of first light, is the transformative As these first stars emerged, their light and radiation slammed
period in the history of the universe marked by the into the surrounding sea of hydrogen gas, breaking apart the
appearance of the first stars and galaxies. neutral atoms and scattering their individual protons and
electrons. At first, these areas were like small bubbles or
Prior to this, the universe was devoid of discrete sources of islands of ionized gas surrounding bright energy sources. The
light, suffused with an obscuring fog of primordial hydrogen neutral hydrogen in the universe, however, still dominated,
and helium gas cooked up in the first moments of the Big Bang. preventing light from traveling freely through space.
For its first 380,000 years, the universe was a seething mass of
subatomic particles. As the universe eventually expanded and
cooled, these highly energetic particles could finally combine
to form neutral atoms.
We see that moment imprinted on the universe as the cosmic

microwave background radiation.
Over time, areas of higher density began to

collapse under gravity, and the
neutral hydrogen in the
universe began to clump
together. Eventually,
these regions became
so dense that nuclear
furnaces were born.
Webb’s Deep-Core
Sample of the Universe
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These cosmic bubbles eventually grew, fueled by an as yet
unknown balance of hot, massive stars and powerful jets of
energy streaming from incredibly dense and voracious black
Gallery 2.1 Supernova Remnants
holes. As these primordial beacons punched ever larger holes
into the neutral universe, the islands of light eventually began
to overlap, enabling ionizing radiation to travel farther and
farther. Once the majority of the universe was reionized, within
1 billion years after the Big Bang, light across much of the
electromagnetic spectrum could travel unimpeded through
the cosmos, eventually revealing the universe as we see it today.
These first stars were unlike the stars we observe in the

universe today. They were incredibly large – up to 300 times
more massive than our Sun – and many millions of times
brighter. They shone for only a few million years before
detonating as supernovae.
These supernova explosions significantly altered the chemical

makeup of the cosmos. Carbon, oxygen and iron were first
forged in stellar cores and then scattered into space. Other The Crab Nebula is a six-light-year-wide expanding supernova
heavier elements were shocked into existence by the incredible remnant, all that remains of a tremendous stellar explosion.
Observers in China and Japan recorded the supernova nearly 1,000
fury of the supernovae themselves. These new elements were
years ago, in 1054.
then taken up in the next generation of stars and eventually
formed planets, asteroids, comets, and even life.
Modern telescopes now struggle to penetrate the cosmic

dark ages. The most distant galaxies are seen already in
their adolescent stages of development.
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Figure 2.1 The Most Distant Galaxy Candidate Ever Seen in Universe Interactive 2.1 Galaxy Ages in the
Hubble Ultra Deep Field
Peel back the layers of time in the HUDF to

reveal galaxies at different stages of evolution.
signals that hold the clues to the

chemical makeup of these objects,
revealing how they are both moving and
The farthest and possibly one of the very earliest galaxies ever seen in the universe appears as a evolving. Recent glimpses using rare
faint red blob in this ultra-deep–field infrared exposure taken with the Hubble Space Telescope.
cosmic alignments known as
Based on its color, astronomers believe the object existed when the universe was only 0.5 billion
years old. gravitational lenses have enabled
astronomers to study extremely
To go even further back and find the sought-after first stars and galaxies, the Webb distant galaxies. Webb will look for
telescope will probe deeper than ever before into the near- and mid-infrared. This is clues in the spectral signatures of the
the portion of the spectrum that contains the remnant light from these earliest objects. most distant galaxies to study the
motions of stars and gas, helping
After Webb has identified these nascent objects, it will begin to tell us more about astronomers build a complete picture of
what they are like. It will take that faint light and spread it out to look for the spectral the infancy of galaxies.
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SECT ION 2
The Cosmic Web
Movie 2.2 Gas and Dust Condenses to Form Galaxies and the “Cosmic Web” (simulation)
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The first protogalaxies formed when the universe was just a Where dark matter filaments intersected, hydrogen collected
few hundred million years old. to form the first compact blue star clusters.
They formed along great filaments of dark matter that

provided the scaffolding for galaxy construction.
The sequence below illustrates the collection of matter (white) and dark matter
(purple) over time into galactic masses to create what is known as the “cosmic web.”
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SECT ION 3
Building Blocks
Movie 2.3 Simulation of Two Galaxies Undergoing a Two-Billion-Year-Long Collision
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Galaxies are the building blocks of the
universe. They trace the distribution of
normal matter and enigmatic cold dark
matter. They also drive the process of star
formation and recycle stellar material into the
next generation of stars and planets.
Figure 2.2 Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation Images of the cosmic

microwave background
radiation show that there was
structure to the universe even before
there were stars and galaxies. Though
we can see these faint primordial ripples
and the large clusters of galaxies today, much
in the theories about the transition from one to the
other still needs to be refined.
The large scale structure of the cosmic web

suggests that primordial gas formed a vast web, built
on a scaffold of dark matter. This web of matter should
now correspond – on the grandest scales – to the
distribution and clumping of galaxies in the universe
today. Favored models suggest that clusters of stars,
clouds of dust and gas and small galaxies combined
This image reveals 13.7-billion-year-old temperature fluctuations
over time through a process known as hierarchical
(shown as color differences) that correspond to the seeds of matter
that grew to become today’s galaxies. merging. This process, in which smaller clumps of dark
matter and stars came together over time, formed the
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menagerie of galaxies and galaxy clusters that dominate The process of galactic evolution remains as a grand
space today. challenge in astronomy and many questions remain. How and
when did the Hubble sequence form? What are the roles of
Astronomers believe that the complex interaction of stars, star formation and black holes in galaxy formation? What
galaxies and dark matter produced present-day galaxies. The processes created the divergent shapes of galaxies, from
first generation of stars not only seeded later galaxies with elliptical- to spiral-shaped?
elements heavier than hydrogen, the resulting shockwaves
from supernovae may have set up a cascading series of To answer these questions, the Webb telescope will look at
starbursts that fueled further galactic evolution. groups of stars and other galactic precursors to understand
their growth and evolution. The Webb telescope will use both
This process continues today, even close to home. The its imaging and spectroscopic capabilities to study early
Magellanic Clouds are being drawn into the Milky Way, and galactic shapes, motion and evolution. The Webb telescope
our nearest large galactic neighbor, the Andromeda Galaxy, also will enable astronomers to learn about the types of stars
continues its course for a head-on collision with the Milky in these early galaxies, which would have been strikingly
Way, some 4 billion years from now. different from the stars we see in the universe today.
Andromeda will collide with our galaxy in about

4 billion years. The two will merge to form a
single galaxy in about 6 billion years.
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Hubble Sequence Gallery 2.2 Hubble Sequence: A Guide to Galaxy Types
With more powerful modern telescopes
able to image galaxies at much greater
distances, and further back in time,
astronomers have been constructing a
new Hubble sequence, or galaxy
classification scheme, for populations of
galaxies that existed when the universe
was much younger, and find it to be
remarkably different.
The Hubble sequence diagrams (right)

shows how many more peculiar-shaped
galaxies (Pec) are seen among distant
galaxies (6 billion years ago), as
opposed to local galaxies.
Collisions and mergers between

galaxies give rise to enormous new
galaxies and, although it was commonly
believed that galaxy mergers decreased
significantly 8 billion years ago, newer
results also suggest that mergers were Three percent of galaxies are elliptical (E), 15 percent lenticular (S0), 72 percent spiral (Sa to Sd
still occurring frequently after that time – or SBb to SBd), and 10 percent peculiar (Pec) among local (younger) galaxies.
up to as recently as 4 billion years ago.
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SECT ION 4
New Stars, New Worlds
Figure 2.3 The Orion Nebula, A Star-Forming Nursery
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The Orion Nebula, located approximately 1,350 light-years Movie 2.4 Solar System Formation
from Earth, is a massive cloud of dust and gas. Visible with
the naked eye as a faint smudge in the constellation Orion
the Hunter, this giant molecular cloud hides perhaps
hundreds of protoplanetary disks, areas that are in the
process of forming stars and planets. The James Webb
Space Telescope, with its infrared capabilities, will be able to
probe deeply into this and other star-forming regions to
study the conditions that lead to new solar systems.
Interactive 2.2 Protoplanetary Disks in the Orion Nebula
The protoplanetary disk around a young, isolated star evolves over

16,000 years. Bright, dense spiral arms of gas and dust gradually
develop and then collapse into denser clumps that could form planets.
Scientists know that stars form in clouds of dust and gas in

which pockets of higher density collapse under gravity.
Eventually enough matter collects at high enough density
and temperature to ignite nuclear fusion and a new star is
born. Around this nascent star, additional material spins
down to form a swirling disk filled with ice, rocks and left-
over gas that escaped the initial formation of the star. As bits
of material collide and combine, small planetesimals
gradually grow, sweeping up the remaining debris in their
orbits to become true planets.
Get a closer look at young planetary systems in the making – disks of
gas and dust, which will one day give rise to solar new systems.
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This is the basic model of star and Interactive 2.3 Hubble Observations of Planet Fomalhaut b
planet formation, but the specifics are
still very much a mystery.
One element of this mystery is how

planets settle down into their final orbits.
We now know that a large fraction of
stars have gas-giant planets like Jupiter.
Some of the first planets ever
discovered were massive Jupiter-like
worlds that were in orbits blisteringly
close to their host stars. These exotic
“hot Jupiters” were at odds with how we
believed our own solar system formed.
This surprising discovery suggests that
planets don’t stay put, and some force
rearranges planets like balls on a
Figure 2.4 Hot Jupiter (artist's concept)
Astronomers blocked light from the star Fomalhaut, in the center of this image, in order to see the
much dimmer planet as it passes near the dust ring around the star. Images taken years apart
show the planet moving along its expected orbit.
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billiard table. Being able to observe solar systems with Webb – as they form and Gallery 2.3 Narrow Jets Erupt During
Stellar Formation
evolve – will help solve the mystery of the roaming planets.
Another mission for Webb to unravel is the complex and dynamic push-and-pull that
goes into forming a new star. Throughout the formation of a solar system, there is a
constant battle between gravity pulling material together and rising heat and
radiation pushing it away. How stars form amid these conflicting forces has been a
subject of debate.
A leading theory is that part of the heat generated by gravitational contraction is

released by jets of energy ejected from the poles of the newly forming star, enabling
it to strike just the right balance, gaining mass and sustaining fusion.
The Webb telescope will be able to observe these young stars and their jets and
protoplanetary disks, revealing the distribution and migration of material around a
forming star and imaging gaps in the dust and gas in the swirling disk surrounding
it. These gaps form from the gravitational effects of growing planets and reveal the
inner workings of an infant solar system. Webb’s fine-grained spectroscopy will
reveal the structure and motion of the disk, uncovering the missing links between a
planetary system and the primordial material from which it arose.
Stellar jet Herbig-Haro (HH) 47 shoots off at
supersonic speeds in opposite directions
through space.
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SECT ION 5
Living Planets
Methane and water vapor were detected in the atmosphere of extrasolar planet HD 189733b (artist’s concept).
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A decade ago, scientists assumed that the star’s wavelength. This wobble technique provided the first conclusive evidence
planetary systems filled the Milky Way, that other stars contain planets.
but only a handful of potential planetary
systems had been identified. Recently, Another technique studies the amount of light emitted by a star. As a planet passes
more than 500 planets have been in front of, or transits, its star, there is a slight drop in the amount of light detected on
detected around stars other than the Earth. This technique is extremely useful in determining the size and length of the
Sun. These exoplanets are found in a planet’s orbit. It also reveals the relative size of the planet.
variety of environments. Some are
hotter than Jupiter with orbits smaller
Movie 2.5 Animation of an Extrasolar Planet Transit
than Mercury’s. Others are Neptune-
like worlds orbiting far from their host
star. Though harder to detect, data
now support the discovery of large,
rocky planets, often referred to as
super-Earths.
The science of detecting exoplanets

has advanced considerably during the
past decade. The first planets ever
detected were found by studying the
faint motion of stars. Gravity from
orbiting planets, particularly massive
planets with very small orbits, tugs on
the star, imparting a faint, but
perceptible wobble to the star. This is
detectable on Earth by a subtle shift in Planets that pass in front of their parent stars from our viewpoint will cause the star to dim slightly as
they block some of the light. Astronomers monitor stars for these telltale changes in brightness.
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This technique also can reveal the chemical make-up of a Interactive 2.4 Hubble Measures the Atmospheric Structure of
an Extrasolar Planet
planet’s atmosphere. By carefully observing the planet as its
edge transits in front of the star, it’s possible to tease out the Light passing through the atmosphere around a planet is scattered and
acquires a signature from the atmosphere.
light passing through the planet’s atmosphere. By subtracting
the signal known to come from the star, the spectroscopic
fingerprint of the planet’s atmosphere can be found. Both the
Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes have managed this feat Carbon and Oxygen
with hot Jupiters. The James Webb Space Telescope should
be able to study the smaller, rocky super-Earths.
Figure 2.5 Habitable Zone Models by Stellar Type
Sodium
1 2
Webb’s infrared vision should be able to distinguish the heat

signature of a planet from its host star. This could reveal the
presence of carbon dioxide deep in the planet’s atmosphere.
Webb’s spectroscopic instruments should also be able to
detect carbon dioxide during a transit. More intriguing, it
Depending on stellar mass and luminosity, planets on which liquid
water could exist on the surface will be at different distances from their
should also be able to detect the signature for water.
parent star.
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Figure 2.6 Earth’s Spectrum
One important mission for Webb
will be to characterize planets
around nearby stars that may
reside in the “habitable zone,”
where water oceans might exist.
Regardless of the chemistry of a planet,

one important mission for Webb will be
to detect planets around nearby stars
that may reside in the all-important
“habitable zone.” All stars, from the
relatively common red dwarfs to their
behemoth brothers known as red
giants, have an area surrounding them
where the temperature is just right to
Numerous spacecraft have looked back to the Earth and measured sunlight reflected off our enable liquid water to exist on the
planet. The resulting spectrum shows peaks and valleys at different visible and infrared surface. Not too hot that it evaporates
wavelengths, which are caused by the absorption of light by the chemical composition of the
atmosphere. Life on Earth depends on the presence of water, so if we are looking for an Earth-
nor too cold that it becomes encased in
like planet, one of the signatures we would hope to find would be water vapor. In addition, plants a shell of ice.
and photosynthetic bacteria release oxygen, and anaerobic bacteria releases methane.
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Since liquid water was a prerequisite for life on Earth, it is
assumed that it would offer the best hope for finding life on
another world. An extended survey with Webb should be able
to study a super-Earth around a nearby red-dwarf star,
revealing more about an exoplanet than we have ever learned
about any exoplanet. The hope is that Webb will be able to
identify an atmosphere that could support life.
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CHAPTER 3
The Space Telescope
The James Webb Space Telescope is the largest and most

complex observatory ever sent into space.
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Primary Telescope Stats Through the Looking Glass
• Mission duration: 5 years required; 10 With a mirror towering more than two stories high, Webb will be the largest
years goal observatory ever sent into space. For all its size and mass (tipping the scales at six
• Total payload mass: 13,640 pounds tons), the Webb telescope must fit in the limited cargo space of an Ariane 5 rocket,
(6500 kilograms) the workhorse of launch vehicles provided by the European Space Agency, a
• Diameter of primary mirror: 21.3 feet (6.5 partner in Webb’s development. To fit into its cozy travel compartment, the telescope
meters) will transform in an astronomical equivalent of origami until it is compact enough to
• Collecting area of mirror: 269 square feet nestle inside the rocket’s shroud – its solar panel and mirror tower retracted, its
(25 square meters) primary mirror, sunshield, secondary mirror, communications antennae and
• Mass of primary mirror: 1551 pounds momentum flap folded neatly for deployment en route to its ultimate destination.
(705 kilograms)
• Number of primary mirror segments: 18 The Webb telescope will function as a single observatory, but it is actually made up
• Optical resolution: Approximately 0.1 of three distinct elements: the Integrated Science Instrument Model (ISIM), which
arcseconds houses the telescope’s powerful instruments; the Optical Telescope Element, which
• Wavelength coverage: 0.6–28 microns collects and focuses the faint infrared light from deep space; and the Spacecraft
Element. The Spacecraft Element contains the sunshield and the Spacecraft Bus,
• Size of sunshield: 69.5 by 46.5 feet (21.2
by 14.2 meters) which holds major subsystems like communications, electrical power, command and
• Sunshield material: Five layers of silicon-
data handling, propulsion, thermal control and attitude control.
coated Kapton
• Orbit: 930,000 miles (1.5 million
kilometers) from Earth
• Operating temperature: Below –370°
Fahrenheit (50 Kelvin)
36
Interactive 3.1 Webb Telescope’s Design: Cold Side
Primary Mirror
Aft-Optics Subsystem
Integrated Science
Instrument Module
(ISIM)
Sunshield
Secondary Mirror
1 2 3 4 5
37
Interactive 3.2 Webb Telescope’s Design: Hot Side
Sunshield
Star Trackers
Momentum Trim Tab
Solar Panel
High Gain Antenna
Spacecraft Bus
1 2 3 4 5 6
38
SECT ION 1
Sunshield and Cryogenics
Figure 3.1 A Full-scale JWST Sunshield Membrane
39
Chilling Out
Heat is the eternal enemy of infrared-detecting technology.
It’s easy to drown faint infrared signals from the distant
universe in the infrared radiation emitted by a telescope’s Figure 3.2 Webb’s Division of Labor
own equipment. For an infrared telescope to function
effectively, it has to be kept extremely cold – in Webb’s case,
almost unbelievably cold.
Webb was designed to be as cold as possible without relying

on extensive cryogenics like its infrared forerunner, the Spitzer
Space Telescope. Webb’s visually striking sunshield, which
appears like the prow of a ship behind the telescope mirror, will
provide this cold environment.
The multilayer sunshield forms a protective barrier from the

most significant heat sources in space. For Webb, those
heat sources are the Sun, Earth, Moon and the telescope
itself. All objects, even a telescope located deep in space,
emit infrared light, and any of these sources could easily
swamp Webb’s highly sensitive infrared cameras. Webb’s
sunshield divides the telescope into two sides – a hot side Webb is designed to deal with the extreme temperatures of space. The
that contains the systems that keep Webb running and can sunshield separates Webb’s hot side, containing its solar panel,
computer and navigational jets, from its cold side, which holds the
reach temperatures near boiling (185 degrees Fahrenheit, or mirrors and science instruments.
85 Celsius), and a cold side where the instruments and
mirrors reside that reaches a brutal -388 degrees
Fahrenheit, or -233 Celsius).
40
But Webb still needs a location that Movie 3.1 Webb's Field of Observation
allows its sunshield to constantly wall off
the Sun, Earth and Moon. Fortunately,
gravity offers an elegant solution. The
Earth, Moon and Sun exert gravitational
tugs on each other, creating a few
special neighborhoods in the solar
system where the respective forces
balance neatly. One of these, the Earth/
Sun Lagrange Point 2, or L2, will enable
Webb to orbit at a comparatively stable
location in space while keeping the
telescope optics and instruments safely
behind the spacecraft’s sunshield. The
Sun, Earth and Moon will always remain
in the same direction, away from the
telescope on the far side of the The Webb telescope will follow the Earth around the Sun, orbiting around L2 once every 198
sunshield. From this vantage point, days. The region of sky that Webb may look within is fixed with respect to the Sun-Webb line (i.e.,
Webb will survey much of the universe rotates once per year) and is defined by the need to keep Webb’s mirror always in the cold
shadow behind the sunshield.
as it travels around the Sun in lock-step
with the Earth, changing its view in step
with the changing seasons. potentially damaging high-energy cosmic rays. Cosmic rays can interfere with the
telescope’s signals or even build up electrical charges that can create the
At this distant orbit, 930,000 miles (1.5 equivalent of small lightning strikes on the telescope. Such sparks can hurt sensitive
million km) from Earth, Webb will be equipment or damage the telescope’s materials. Webb has been engineered to take
outside of Earth’s protective magnetic this into account, with extra shielding for detectors and conduction areas in the
field, making it a constant target for sunshield to prevent voltage from accumulating.
41
Taken collectively, the sunshield, the telescope’s design and Figure 3.3 Scaled Telescope Testbed
its orbit will achieve temperatures that previously required a
heavy and fleeting supply of coolant. By engineering an
inherently colder spacecraft, scientists will extend the lifetime
of the telescope and its program of frontier science.
Because Webb will be in such a distant orbit, servicing

missions similar to those on the Hubble Space Telescope
are impossible. To compensate, Webb will have a special
subsystem that will correct for any errors in the optics of
the telescope. This system, known as a wavefront sensing
and control subsystem, is similar to the sophisticated
adaptive optics technologies used on ground-based
telescopes. But as adaptive optics take out the twinkling
of starlight, Webb’s system will ensure that the entire
telescope has a crisp and clear vision.
Ball Aerospace has engineered a 1/6-scale telescope testbed which is
traceable to the flight telescope so that wavefront sensing and control
can be developed and demonstrated in a high-fidelity environment.
Webb will be located far beyond the
Moon at Lagrange Point 2 (L2), a
semi-stable location in space.
Not to scale
42
The Sunshield
The sunshield is Webb’s most
distinctive feature. It is the first and most
important line of defense against the Gallery 3.1 Building the Sunshield
light and heat from the Sun and Earth.
Its main function is to separate Webb’s
warm, Sun-facing side from its cold,
science side. Not long after launch, the
sunshield will slowly unfurl, stretched
taut by cables attached to motors.
Like body armor, the sunshield will be

made up of multiple layers, each
adding a level of strength and protection.
Webb’s sunshield consists of five layers

of a heat-resistant material called
Kapton that is coated in silicon. Each
layer, less than a millimeter thick, is
durable enough to withstand the rigors
of space. Collectively, all five layers will
A layer is installed on a 1/3-scale model of the Webb Telescope’s sunshield by engineers at
offer a safe and insulating source of Northrop Grumman.
shade for the telescope. Part of the
sunshield’s strength comes from its
supporting ribs, which give it stability
without becoming brittle. This is vital for
the integrity of this sunshield because it
allows for small holes to form – debris
43
and micrometeorites are a constant concern of all space
missions – without causing additional damage. The multilayer
design also means that any one hole doesn’t compromise
the effectiveness of the shield.
When fully deployed, the sunshield will be about the size of a

regulation tennis court. It will provide a cold and thermally
stable environment for the telescope and its instruments.
This stability is essential for maintaining proper
alignment of the primary mirror segments as the
telescope changes its orientation to the Sun.
44
SECT ION 2
Mirrors
Figure 3.4 Six Completed Segments of Webb’s Primary Mirror
45
The eye of the Webb observatory is an Spitzer’s mirror. Webb’s resolution will be three times more powerful than Hubble’s in
entire system collectively referred to as the infrared and eight times more powerful than Spitzer’s. Its size will allow it to see
the Optical Telescope Element, or OTE. in the infrared as clearly as Hubble sees in visible light. This is particularly important
The OTE gathers the infrared light from for science, enabling Webb to probe much farther and much more clearly into the
distant objects and directs it to the early universe than Hubble was designed to achieve.
science instruments. This portion of the
spacecraft contains all of Webb’s Figure 3.5 Comparison of Observatory Primary Mirror Size and Wavelength
optics, including the Fine Steering Coverage
Mirror (FSM) and the structural pieces
that hold everything together.
The most important part of Webb’s

design is its giant mirror. Mirror size is
vital for all telescopes, but particularly
for infrared telescopes. Infrared light,
being longer than visible light, requires a
proportionally larger mirror to produce
the same quality image we would
achieve in visible light.
The infrared precursor of Webb is the

relatively compact Spitzer Space
Telescope, which has a 2.7-foot (0.8-
meter) mirror. The Webb telescope’s
primary mirror is 21.3 feet (6.5 meters)
across, with about seven times the
collecting area of the Hubble Space
Telescope and 50 times the area of
46
Movie 3.2 Space Telescope Mirror Comparison
A mirror this size, however, presents a number of technological challenges, even for
ground-based observatories. Large mirrors are difficult to cast. Once cast they must
be coated with a reflective finish, requiring a vacuum chamber larger than the mirror
itself. Transporting a large mirror is also extremely difficult; launching one into
space would be nearly impossible. That is why engineers decided that Webb
would have a primary mirror made up of many segments. Webb’s smaller
segments could be more easily made, efficiently coated and safely
transported. Webb’s segments, however, are not identical. To give Webb clear
vision across the entire mirror surface, the 18 segments are divided into three
groups of six, each group having a slightly different shape or optical prescription.
47
Movie 3.3 Sunshield and Mirror Deployment Sequence
The commanding size of Webb’s mirror, however, poses one additional challenge. At
6.5 meters across, the Webb mirror overflows even the widest launch vehicles,
which are only 5 meters across.
This is where Webb’s segmented mirror design has another advantage. It can
fold. Much like the leaves of a table that can be folded down when you’re not
expecting guests, the two sides of the Webb telescope are able to fold in to
make the entire mirror more compact – small enough to fit into the payload
bay of the Ariane 5 rocket that will carry it into deep space.
48
Reflecting On Metal Gallery 3.3 Secondary and Tertiary
Even the most durable glass would find the ride into orbit risky and the frigid Mirrors
temperatures of deep space unmanageable. A better option was found for Webb’s
mirror segments: the element beryllium. Among metals, beryllium is lightweight, which
is a good thing when traveling into space.
Gallery 3.2 Building the Primary Mirror
Webb’s tertiary mirror is nestled into the Aft

Optics bench, which also holds Webb’s fine-
steering mirror.
This metal also resists warping from

extremely cold temperatures, essential
for operating in space. Since beryllium
Six of Webb’s primary mirror segments are prepared to move to the X-ray and Cryogenic Facility
is not particularly reflective in the
at Marshall Space Flight Center.
infrared, however, a fine layer of gold –
about 3 grams – is applied to each
segment. This gold coating is not an
49
aesthetic choice; it’s an engineering requirement for Webb nanometers (about one millionth of an inch), or 200 times
because gold reflects red and infrared light especially well. thinner than a human hair. Enhancing this precision, Webb will
Gold makes the mirror 98 percent reflective to infrared light be able to reshape the surface of the mirror segments, even
where ordinary aluminum mirrors are only 85 percent reflective when the telescope is in orbit. Each segment is supported by
to visible light. six adjustable posts, allowing the mirrors to tilt, twist and shift
to face the correct direction and position. A pressure pad
To give the mirrors their coating, gold is heated to more than located behind each segment will precisely pull and push
2,500 degrees Fahrenheit. The resulting gold vapor is each segment as needed to adjust the shape and focus of the
deposited on the beryllium mirrors. Several coatings are mirror on the fly.
applied to achieve the desired thickness, a mere 120
Movie 3.4 Behind the Webb: The Golden Touch
50
SECT ION 3
Engineering Systems
Figure 3.6 The Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM)
51
More than a telescope, Webb also is a complex The Command and Data Handling (C&DH) Subsystem is
spacecraft, requiring power, guidance, communications the brain of the spacecraft. The system has a computer and
and propulsion systems worthy of any deep-space the Command Telemetry Processor (CTP), which takes in the
mission. Housed in the section of Webb called the commands from the Communication Subsystem and directs
Spacecraft Bus are Webb’s six major subsystems, its them to the appropriate system on the spacecraft.
infrastructure. The bus provides the necessary support The C&DH also contains Webb’s memory and data
functions for operating the observatory. storage device, the Solid State Recorder (SSR).
The CTP controls the interaction among the
The Electrical Power Subsystem converts sunlight shining science instruments, the SSR and the
on the solar array panels into the power needed to operate Communication Subsystem.
the other subsystems of the spacecraft as well as the
science instruments. The Propulsion Subsystem contains the
fuel tanks and the rockets that, when
The Attitude Control Subsystem senses Webb’s orientation, directed by the Attitude Control System,
maintains a stable orbit, and provides the coarse pointing of are fired to maintain the orbit.
the observatory to the area on the sky that the telescope
will observe. The Thermal Control Subsystem is
responsible for maintaining the
The Communication Subsystem sends data to and receives operating temperature of the
commands through the Deep Space Network, operated by spacecraft.
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.
52
The Integrated Science Instrument Gallery 3.4 Building and Testing the Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM)
Module is the heart of Webb. It houses
the four main Webb instruments that
perform the telescope’s science
operations, and the
subsystems needed to
operate them.
The ISIM, with the NIRSpec Mass Simulator attached to its side, is lowered to sub-Pluto
temperatures during cryogenic testing.
53
SECT ION 4
Instruments
Figure 3.7 Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI)
54
Much of Webb’s power and sensitivity come from its primary
mirror, but it’s the instruments that turn that faint light into
breathtaking images and groundbreaking science. While
Hubble was designed to be upgraded through periodic
servicing missions, Webb’s distant orbit means it must be a
complete leading-edge observatory, with four science
instruments that will serve the telescope throughout its
entire lifetime.
55
Near-Infrared Camera Gallery 3.5 The Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam)
The Near-Infrared Camera, or NIRCam,
is an imager with a large field of view
and high angular resolution that looks at
near-infrared wavelengths. The camera
module provides wide-field, broadband
imagery, promising to continue the
breathtaking astrophotography that
made Hubble such a universally
admired science instrument. It will
detect light from the earliest stars and
galaxies in the process of formation. It
will also study the population of stars in
nearby galaxies, as well as young stars
in the Milky Way and objects in the
Kuiper Belt, part of the cold outer
reaches of our own solar system. This A test piece of the Near-Infrared Camera optical bench is prepared for stress testing.
science instrument also functions as the
telescope’s wavefront sensor,
monitoring image quality and
measuring when and how the vision of
the telescope needs to be corrected.
NIRCam is being built by the University
of Arizona.
56
Near-Infrared Spectrograph Gallery 3.6 The Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec)
The Near-Infrared Spectrograph, or
NIRSpec, is a multi-object, near-
infrared spectrograph. This instrument
spreads light into its component colors,
or in the case of infrared, into its
various wavelengths. This instrument
allows scientists to simultaneously
observe more than 100 objects in a 9-
square-arcminute field of view. The
innovative technology behind this feat
is a system of 248,000 microshutters all
arranged on a wafer about the size of a
postage stamp. Each microshutter is a
tiny cell that measures a microscopic
100 by 200 microns across, or about
the width of three to six human hairs. Engineers work on NIRSpec, the instrument that will be used to analyze the light from cosmic objects.
They block out surrounding light
sources to isolate a specific object,
much the same way that the human eye
does when it squints to see fine details.
The microshutters are arranged in a individually, allowing it to view or block specific portions of the sky and study many
waffle-like grid and have lids that open objects simultaneously.
and close when a magnetic field is
applied. Each cell can be controlled NIRSpec is being built by the European Space Agency and will study, among other
things, star formation and the chemical composition of young, distant galaxies.
57
Mid-Infrared Instrument Gallery 3.7 The Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI)
The Mid-Infrared Instrument, or MIRI,
will function as both an imager and a
spectrograph. The other half of this
instrument, the spectrograph module,
will enable medium-resolution
spectroscopy over a smaller field of
view than the imager. By examining
mid-infrared wavelengths, MIRI will study
distant stellar populations, the physics
of newly forming stars, and the sizes of
faintly visible comets as well as objects
in the Kuiper Belt. MIRI, developed by a
consortium of 10 European institutions
and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory,
was delivered to Goddard Space Flight
Center in spring 2012. MIRI is both a camera and a spectrograph, capable of taking pictures and analyzing light.
58
Fine Guidance Sensor/Near- Gallery 3.8 The Fine Guidance Sensor/Near Infrared Imager Slitless Spectrograph
Infrared Imager Slitless (FGS/NIRISS)
Spectrograph
The Fine Guidance Sensor (FGS) allows
Webb to point precisely, so that it can
obtain high-quality images.
The Near Infrared Imager and Slitless

Spectrograph part of the FGS/NIRISS
will achieve the following science
objectives: first-light detection,
exoplanet detection and
characterization, and exoplanet transit
spectroscopy. It has a wavelength
range of 0.7 to 5.0 microns, and is a
specialized instrument with three main
modes, each of which addresses a
separate wavelength range. FGS/ Technicians at NASA carefully remove half of the FGS shipping case after its arrival at Goddard
NIRISS, developed by the Canadian Space Flight Center.
Space Agency, was delivered to
Goddard Space Flight Center in
summer 2012.
59
SECT ION 5
A Space Odyssey
Figure 3.8 An Ariane 5 Ready for Launch ©2010 ESA, CNES and Arianespace/Photo Optique Vidéo CSG
60
Ariane 5 Fast Facts The Webb Space Telescope is a venture that crosses borders and oceans.
The Canadian Space Agency built Webb’s Fine Guidance Sensor and Near-
• Typical length: 50.5 m Infrared Slitless Spectrograph. The European Space Agency (ESA) helped to
• Typical liftoff mass: 780 tons build the Mid-Infrared Instrument and the Near-Infrared Spectrograph. Both
• Payload capacity: 10 metric tons to ESA and CSA will supply engineers and scientists to help in Webb
geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) and operations after launch. And ESA has the critical task of providing the
over 20 metric tons into low-Earth orbit rocket that will take Webb into orbit.
(LEO)
• Launch: Kourou, French Guiana Going the Distance
The Ariane 5 rocket will carry the Webb Space Telescope from the surface
of the Earth to its new home 932,000 miles from Earth, more than three
times the distance of the Moon
from Earth. In comparison, the Movie 3.5 Previous Launch of an Ariane
5 Rocket
Hubble Space Telescope is in
near-Earth orbit,
approximately 350 miles
above the ground.
The Webb telescope will be

launched from the
Arianespace’s ELA-3 launch
complex near Kourou, French
Guiana, located in South
America. Being near Earth’s
equator, this launch site will An Ariane 5 rocket, flight V192, lifts off from
Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana, 2009
Webb’s mirrors and sunshield will fold to take advantage of the
fit inside the Ariane 5 rocket. They will rotation of the Earth, imparting an extra boost to the rocket, helping to
deploy as they near their orbit.
send it into orbit and on to its ultimate destination.
61
Figure 3.9 Countries involved in Webb’s development Major Contractors:
• Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems:
Prime contractor
• Ball Aerospace:
Constructing the primary mirror
• ATK:
Providing sunshield material
• European Space Agency:

Responsible for NIRSpec and MIRI
• EADS-Astrium:
Working on NIRSpec
• European Consortium:
Contributing to MIRI
Countries highlighted in red on this map are participating in Webb’s creation, their contributions
covering everything from design to launch.
• Jet Propulsion Laboratory:
Contributing to MIRI
Worldwide Involvement NASA Centers: • Lockheed Advanced Technology:
Dozens of contractors and Working on NIRCam
• Goddard Space Flight Center:
subcontractors throughout the US and Webb lead, oversees development,
construction and testing • Canadian Space Agency:
around the world are contributing to Constructing the FGS guider and
the Webb Space Telescope. Here are NIRISS
• Marshall Space Flight Center:
some of the key participants. Mirror testing
• ComDev:
Working on FGS
• Johnson Space Center:
Observatory testing
62
CHAPTER 4
Conclusion
63
Gallery 4.1 Webb’s Partnering Observatories
Built on the heritage of the Hubble
(optical) and Spitzer (infrared) Space
Telescopes, Webb is the cornerstone of the
National Academy of Science’s 2010
decadal survey.
Other telescopes were recommended

with the assumption that Webb will be
up and operating and working in
symbiosis with them.
The James Webb Space Telescope will

push the boundaries of our vision and Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) test facility
uncover new details about the hidden
universe. Its innovative design,
colossal size and incredible resolution
will open up a new version of the Synergy Between Future Facilities
universe to us – the invisible infrared Intriguingly, Webb will have a special impact when working in synergy with other
universe. But as unique as Webb is, it next-generation ground- and space-based observatories. During the past several
won’t be working alone. decades, a number of major discoveries have been made when two or more
observatories worked in concert to study the same object. The Hubble Space
Telescope has often been used in collaboration with telescopes such as the Keck
Observatory in Hawaii and the Very Large Array (VLA) in New Mexico. These
64
Figure 4.1 Synergy Between Observatories The Atacama Large Millimeter/
submillimeter Array (ALMA) will study
the cold, dark regions of the universe
that shine brightly in the millimeter
portion of the spectrum, such as
protoplanetary disks. This will
complement Webb’s studies in the
infrared of these same areas.
In addition, a Giant Segmented Mirror

Telescope (GSMT) will be able to
achieve higher resolution spectroscopy
of very faint and distant objects, helping
to unravel the shape and motion of very
early galaxies.
Along with the Large Synoptic Survey

These telescopes’ different areas of expertise will allow astronomers to obtain a comprehensive
view of the universe. Telescope (LSST) and the Wide-Field
Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST),
Webb will use techniques such as
ground-based telescopes added additional wavelength coverage to research and
gravitational lensing, the property of
also utilized their greater resolution to expand the science impact of Hubble.
light to bend around massive objects, to
It is anticipated that Webb will undertake similar collaborations with other leading- expand our understanding of dark
edge instruments. These next-generation observatories, which will become energy and to better map the
operational during Webb’s lifespan, will add their unique capabilities to address the distribution of dark matter. It will also be
major science questions highlighted in the National Research Council’s most recent able to find very distant supernovae that
Decadal Survey. Webb will be able to follow.
65
What We Don’t Know Stay Connected
In its quest to detect the oldest stars and the most distant galaxies, the Webb
WebbTelescope.org
Telescope will serve as a cosmic time machine, taking astronomers and the public
back to when the first sources of light in the universe burst into existence, setting the
Webb at NASA
stage for all of cosmic evolution.
Webb at ESA
These questions are clearly within the reach of Webb, but what are most intriguing
are the questions we can’t yet foresee and the discoveries that will once again
Facebook
reshape our understanding of space and our place in the universe.
When the Hubble Space Telescope was launched, it too had specific, pressing Flickr
science topics to explore. Yet some of Hubble’s most significant discoveries –
Twitter
such as the mysterious, unexplained “dark energy” driving the universe’s
expansion faster and faster – have been a surprise, arising from areas that
YouTube
astronomers never expected.
We can only wonder at the possibilities Webb poses, the astronomy-changing

shocks and marvels it may have in store for us, once it takes to the stars. Figure 4.2 James Webb (1906–1992)
The Legend Behind the Name

The Webb Telescope was named after the second NASA administrator James Edwin
Webb. During his service from 1961–1968 he oversaw great progress in the space
program. Webb strengthened the space science program and was responsible for
over 75 launches. He also helped pave the way to future NASA successes, such as
the historic Apollo lunar landing, which took place shortly after his retirement from
NASA in 1968.
66
CHAPTER 5
Credits
67
Figure 5.1 The SASP Webb eBook Team
Contributors
Produced by the Space Telescope Science
Institute (STScI)
Production team: Chuck Blue, Tony Darnell,

Tiffany Davis, Christine Godfrey, Nelly Ivanova,
Ann Jenkins, Stephanie Smith, Ray Villard, Tracy
Vogel, Donna Weaver
Science advisors: Alberto Conti, Jason Kalirai,

Massimo Stiavelli, Frank Summers
Many thanks to our colleagues at STScI and

NASA’s GSFC, including Alberto Conti, Bonnie
Eisenhamer, Stratis Kakadelis, Mike McClare,
Ray Villard and Ann Feild
Space Astronomy Summer Program

Internship: Webb eBook Project
The Space Telescope Science Institute, home to STScI summer student, Nelly Ivanova (center), with her 2012 SASP mentors for the JWST eBook
the scientific operations center for the Hubble project, Tiffany Davis and Alberto Conti.
Space Telescope and the future James Webb
Space Telescope, brings highly motivated college
students with a strong interest in space observatory; provide opportunities for growth, achievement, and personal development; and help
astronomy to Baltimore, Md., each summer for students develop and maintain contacts among colleagues and peers.
the Space Astronomy Summer Program (SASP).
The Webb eBook Project is heavily indebted to Nelly Zhivkova Ivanova, who was selected from over 300
Students work individually with STScI researchers applicants to participate in the 2012 SASP. Nelly is currently completing her combined bachelor’s/
and staff on projects that include data reduction master’s degree in Journalism and Science Communication at Sofia University in Bulgaria. During her
and interpretation, software development, academic career, Nelly has interned at national newspapers, movie production studios, youth astronomy
scientific writing, and preparing data for public conferences, and has traveled much of Europe to pursue her interest in journalism. She has received
releases. The program’s goals are to expose numerous national and international awards for her academic knowledge of astronomy, physics and
advanced undergraduates to forefront research in math, as well as her creative abilities in literature. She desires to someday have a profession that
astrophysics and the workings of a space-based combines her two passions – astronomy and journalism.
68
Section 1: Sifting Through Cosmic Time Figure 1.2
Credits Artwork credit: Gemini Observatory, courtesy of
PA G E 4 L. Cook
Cover Figure 1.1
Science credit: NASA, ESA, and K. Todorov and
• Astronomical image credit (Hubble): NASA, K. Luman (Penn State University)
Artwork credit: NASA, and A. Feild (STScI)
ESA, and Q.D. Wang (University of Model credit: Northrop Grumman, NASA, and G.
Massachusetts, Amherst) Bacon (STScI) PA G E 9
• Astronomical image credit (Spitzer): NASA, Jet Figure 1.3
Propulsion Laboratory, and S. Stolovy (Spitzer PA G E 5 Diagram credit: NASA and STScI
Science Center/Caltech) Science credit: NASA, ESA
Interactive 1.1
• Moon image credit: NASA
Credit: NASA, and Northrop Grumman
• Webb model credit: Northrop Grumman PA G E 1 0
Corporation
Corporation, NASA, and G. Bacon (STScI) Timeline:
PA G E 6 • 1800 image credit: Lemuel Francis Abbott
Spiral Galaxy NGC 4911 in the Coma Cluster • Early 1920s image credit: Larry Webster, Mount
Opening Movie Wilson Observatory
Credit: NASA, ESA and the Hubble Heritage
Credit: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Team (STScI/AURA) • 1967 image credit: Hi Star
• 1974 image credit: NASA
• 1983 image credit: Infrared Processing and
Ancient Galaxy Cluster Still Producing Stars
Analysis Center, Caltech/JPL
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/K. Tran (Texas A&M
Chapter 1: Introduction • 1995 image credit: ESA/ISD VisuLab
Univ.)
PA G E 1
PA G E 11
Webb-Milky Way Illustration Artist's View of Extrasolar Planet HD 189733b
Artwork credit: NASA, and A. Feild (STScI) Credit: NASA, ESA, and G. Bacon (STScI) Timeline:
Model credit: Northrop Grumman, NASA, and G. • 1997 (1) image credit: Photo by Rae Stiening
Bacon (STScI) PA G E 7 • 1997 (2) image credit: NASA
Moon credit: NASA/Sean Smith • 2003 image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/R. Hurt
Interactive 1.2 (SSC)
Milky Way credit: Axel Mellinger Credit: NASA, ESA, and Hubble SM4 ERO Team
Earth credit: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center • 2009 image credit: NASA
• 2010 image credit: DLR/DSI
PA G E 8
PA G E 3 • JWST (“Future”) image credit: NASA
Interactive 1.3
Artist Concepts of Webb • Visible image credit: NASA, ESA, S. Beckwith
Credit: NASA (STScI), and The Hubble Heritage Team
(STScI/AURA) Section 2: The Giant Space Mirror
• Near-infrared image credit: 2 Micron All-Sky
Survey (2MASS) project, UMass/IPAC-Caltech PA G E 1 2
• Mid-infrared image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ Figure 1.3
R. Kennicutt (Univ. of Arizona) Credit: NASA/MSFC/David Higginbotham/
Emmett Given
69
PA G E 1 3 Section 2: The Cosmic Web
Figure 1.4 PA G E 1 8
Illustration credit: NASA, ESA, A. Field and C. Gallery 2.1 PA G E 2 0 – 2 1
Godfrey (STScI) • A Giant Hubble Mosaic of the Crab Nebula Movie 2.2 and video stills
Science Credit: NASA, ESA, G. Illingworth Credit: NASA, ESA, J. Hester and A. Loll Credit: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center and
(University of California, Santa Cruz), R. Bouwens (Arizona State University) the Advanced Visualization Laboratory at the
(University of California, Santa Cruz, and Leiden • Cassiopeia A: Colorful, Shredded Remains of National Center for Supercomputing Applications
University), and the HUDF09 Team Old Supernova
Credit: NASA and The Hubble Heritage Team Background image
(STScI/AURA) Credit: The Millennium Simulation Project, Max-
• Gaseous Streamers from Nebula N44C Flutter Planck-Institute for Astrophysics, Springel et al.
Chapter 2: Science Overview in Stellar Breeze (Virgo Consortium), 2005
Credit: NASA and The Hubble Heritage Team
PA G E 1 4
(STScI/AURA)
Webb Science Illustration • Celestial Fireworks: Sheets of Debris From a
Artwork credit: NASA, and A. Feild (STScI) Stellar Explosion (N 49, DEM L 190) Section 3: Building Blocks
Disk credit: ESO/L. Calçada Credit: NASA and The Hubble Heritage Team
Galaxies credit: NASA, ESA, S. Beckwith (STScI) (STScI/AURA) PA G E 2 2
and the HUDF Team
• Supernova Remnant N 63A Menagerie Movie 2.3
Credit: NASA, ESA, HEIC, and The Hubble Credit: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center and
PA G E 1 5 Heritage Team (STScI/AURA) the Advanced Visualization Laboratory at the
Disk Illustration • Close-Up Visible Light Image of Kepler's National Center for Supercomputing
Credit: ESO/L. Calçada Supernova Remnant Applications, B. Robertson, L. Hernquist
Credit: NASA, ESA, The Hubble Heritage Team
(STScI/AURA) PA G E 2 3
Section 1: Dark Ages to First Light Figure 2.2
PA G E 1 9 Credit: NASA/WMAP Science Team
PA G E 1 6 Figure 2.1
Movie 2.1 Credit: NASA, ESA, G. Illingworth (University of String of galaxies
Credit: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center and California, Santa Cruz), R. Bouwens (University of • HUDF WFC3/IR
the Advanced Visualization Laboratory at the California, Santa Cruz, and Leiden University), Credit: NASA, ESA, G. Illingworth and R.
National Center for Supercomputing and B. and the HUDF09 Team Bouwens (University of California, Santa Cruz),
O'Shea, M. Norman and the HUDF09 Team
Interactive 2.1 • Elliptical Galaxy NGC 1132 - Hubble
PA G E 1 7 HUDF image credit: NASA, ESA, S. Beckwith Credit: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage
(STScI) and the HUDF Team (STScI/AURA)-ESA/Hubble Collaboration
Webb’s Deep-Core Sample of the Universe
Credit: NASA, ESA, and A. Feild (STScI)
Galaxy separation credit: NASA and F. Summers • Hubble Interacting Galaxy NGC 6050
(STScI) Credit: NASA, ESA, the Hubble Heritage
(STScI/AURA)-ESA/Hubble Collaboration, and
K. Noll (STScI)
70
• The Antennae Galaxies/NGC 4038-4039 Movie 2.4 Section 4: Living Planets
Credit: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Credit: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center and
Team (STScI/AURA)-ESA/Hubble the National Center for Supercomputing PA G E 3 0
Collaboration Applications
Extrasolar Planets
• Spiral Galaxy M74
Credit: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage • Artist's View of Extrasolar Planet HD 189733b
PA G E 2 8 Credit: NASA, ESA, and G. Bacon (STScI)
(STScI/AURA)-ESA/Hubble Collaboration Figure 2.4 • Planetary System in the Cygnus constellation
• Barred Spiral Galaxy NGC 1300 Illustration credit: NASA and G. Bacon (STScI/AVL) Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Credit: NASA, ESA, and The Hubble Heritage Science credit: NASA, D. Charbonneau (Caltech
Team (STScI/AURA) • Transiting exoplanet HD 189733b
& CfA), T. Brown (NCAR), R. Noyes (CfA) and R. Credit: ESA - C. Carreau
Gilliland (STScI) • Giant Planet
PA G E 2 4
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/T. Pyle (SSC)
Andromeda Galaxy Interactive 2.3
Credit: Bill Schoening, Vanessa Harvey/REU Credit: NASA, ESA, P. Kalas, J. Graham, E. PA G E 3 1
program/NOAO/AURA/NSF Chiang, E. Kite (University of California, Berkeley), Movie 2.5
M. Clampin (NASA Goddard Space Flight Credit: NASA, T. Davis and A. Feild (STScI)
PA G E 2 5 Center), M. Fitzgerald (Lawrence Livermore
Gallery 2.2 National Laboratory), and K. Stapelfeldt and J. PA G E 3 2
Credit: NASA, ESA, Sloan Digital Sky Survey, R. Krist (NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory)
Figure 2.5
Delgado-Serrano and F. Hammer (Observatoire
Credit: NASA and A. Feild (STScI)
de Paris) PA G E 2 9
Gallery 2.3
Interactive 2.4
• Three-Trillion-Mile-Long Jet From a Wobbly Credit: NASA, ESA, and A. Feild (STScI)
Section 4: New Stars, New Worlds Star (HH 47)
Credit: J. Morse/STScI, and NASA PA G E 3 3
PA G E 2 6 • Cosmic Skyrocket
Credit: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Figure 2.6
Figure 2.3 Team (STScI/AURA) Illustration credit: NASA and A. Feild (STScI)
Credit: NASA,ESA, M. Robberto (Space Science credit: NASA and M. C. Turnbull (STScI)
• Mystic Mountain Jet Detail
Telescope Science Institute/ESA) and the Hubble Credit: NASA, ESA, and M. Livio and the
Space Telescope Orion Treasury Project Team Hubble 20th Anniversary Team (STScI) PA G E 3 4
• Reddish Jet of Gas Emanates From Forming Chemical Soups Around Cool Stars
PA G E 2 7 Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/T. Pyle (SSC)
Star HH-30
Interactive 2.2 Credit: C. Burrows (STScI & ESA), the WFPC 2
Credit: NASA,ESA, M. Robberto (Space Investigation Definition Team, and NASA
Telescope Science Institute/ESA) and the Hubble
Space Telescope Orion Treasury Project Team
and L. Ricci (ESO)
71
Chapter 3: The Space Telescope Lagrange Point 2 Line drawing of Webb
PA G E 3 5 Credit: NASA, ESA, Goddard Space Flight Center Credit: Northrop Grumman Corporation
and C. Godfrey (STScI)
Webb Telescope Illustration: Front View
PA G E 4 8
Artwork credit: NASA and A. Feild (STScI)
PA G E 4 3 Movie 3.3
Model credit: Northrop Grumman Corporation,
NASA and G. Bacon (STScI) Gallery 3.1 Credit: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
• 1/3-scale sunshield
PA G E 3 6 Credit: Nexolve PA G E 4 9
• Sunshield test article Gallery 3.2
Line drawings of Webb Credit: Northrop Grumman Aerospace
Credit: Northrop Grumman Corporation • Uncoated primary mirror segments prepared
Systems for testing at Marshall Space Flight Center
• Full-scale sunshield pathfinder Credit: NASA/MSFC/Emmett Givens
PA G E 3 7 Credit: Northrop Grumman Aerospace • Engineering Design Unit primary mirror
Interactive 3.1 Systems segment with gold coating
Credit: NASA • Full-scale sunshield pathfinder, close-up Credit: Drew Noel
Credit: Northrop Grumman Aerospace
• Engineering Design Unit primary mirror
PA G E 3 8 Systems segment being inspected on arrival at Goddard
Interactive 3.2 • Sunshield test article, center portion Space Flight Center
Credit: NASA Credit: Northrop Grumman Aerospace
Credit: NASA/Chris Gunn
Systems
• Primary mirror segments ready for cryogenic
testing at Marshall Space Flight Center
PA G E 4 4
Section 1: Sunshield and Cryogenics Credit: NASA/MSFC/David Higginbotham
Line drawings of Webb • Six of the primary mirror segments after
PA G E 3 9 Credit: Northrop Grumman Corporation cryogenic testing at Marshall Space Flight
Figure 3.1 Center
Credit: Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems Credit: NASA/Emmett Givens
Section 2: Mirrors
PA G E 4 0 Gallery 3.3
Figure 3.2 PA G E 4 5 • Tertiary mirror in the Aft Optics Bench
Figure 3.4 Credit: Ball Aerospace
Credit: Northrop Grumman
Credit: NASA/MSFC/David Higginbotham • Secondary mirror
Credit: Ball Aerospace
PA G E 4 1
PA G E 4 6 • Tertiary mirror
Movie 3.1 Credit: Ball Aerospace/Ben Gallagher and
Credit: NASA, G. Bacon, A. Feild, T. Davis and T. Figure 3.5 Quantum Coating Incorporated
Darnell (STScI) Credit: STScI
PA G E 5 0
PA G E 4 2 PA G E 4 7
Movie 3.4
Figure 3.3 Movie 3.2 Credit: NASA and M. Estacion (STScI)
Credit: NASA Credit: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
72
Section 3: Engineering Systems • Fully assembled NIRCam flight modules with • Integration of the harnesses onto the flight
“Go Girl Scouts” engraving model MIRI
PA G E 5 1 Credit: NIRCam Team, University of Arizona Credit: Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, MIRI
Figure 3.6 • NIRCam team bonding the two halves of the European Consortium and JPL
NIRCam bench with epoxy
Credit: NASA/GSFC/Chris Gunn
Credit: Lockheed Martin PA G E 5 9
PA G E 5 2 Gallery 3.8
PA G E 5 7 • FGS/NIRISS arrives at Goddard Space Flight
Line drawing of Webb
Gallery 3.6 Center
Credit: Northrop Grumman Corporation
• NIRSpec flight instrument being assembled Credit: NASA/Chris Gunn
Credit: Astrium/NIRSpec • FGS/NIRISS being lifted for measurement
PA G E 5 3
• NIRSpec filter wheel mechanism Credit: NASA/Chris Gunn
Gallery 3.4 Credit: Carl Zeiss/Max Planck Institute for • Post-inspection covering for FGS/NIRISS
• ISIM in the Helium Shroud for cryogenic Astronomy Credit: NASA/Chris Gunn
testing • NIRSpec Micro Shutter Array • Flight model of FGS undergoing cryogenic
Credit: NASA/Chris Gunn Credit: Astrium/NIRSpec testing
• ISIM in final phases of assembly • NIRSpec Pick-off mirror inspection Credit: COMDEV, CSA
Credit: Alliant Techsystems Inc. (ATK) Credit: Astrium/NIRSpec • FGS about to undergo cryogenic testing
• Goddard Engineers conducting measurements • A NIRSpec detector from the Engineering Credit: COMDEV, CSA
on the ISIM Design Unit
Credit: NASA/Chris Gunn Credit: NASA/Catherine Lilly
• Engineer preparing ISIM for cryogenic testing • NIRSpec prepared for vibration testing
Credit: NASA/Chris Gunn Section 5: A Space Odyssey
Credit: EADS Astrium
PA G E 5 8 PA G E 6 0
Section 4: Instruments Gallery 3.7 Figure 3.8
Credit: ESA, CNES and Arianespace/Photo
• MIRI flight instrument
PA G E 5 4 Credit: Science and Technology Facilities Optique Vidéo CSG
Figure 3.7 Council (STFC)/RAL Space
• Preparing MIRI for testing PA G E 6 1
Credit: Stephen Kill, STFC
Credit: STFC/RAL Space Webb Launch Vehicle: Ariane 5 Rocket
PA G E 5 5 • Flight model of the MIRI filter wheel Credit: Arianespace, ESA and NASA
Credit: Max Planck Institute for Astronomy/Carl
Line drawing of Webb
Zeiss Movie 3.5
Credit: Northrop Grumman Corporation
• MIRI undergoing alignment testing Credit: Arianespace, 2009
Credit: Science and Technology Facilities
PA G E 5 6
Council (STFC) PA G E 6 2
Gallery 3.5 • MIRI being inspected upon delivery at Figure 3.9
• NIRCam engineering test unit optical bench Goddard Space Flight Center Credit: STScI
prepared for testing Credit: NASA/Chris Gunn
Credit: Lockheed Martin
73
Chapter 4: Conclusion Chapter 5: Credits
PA G E 6 3 PA G E 6 7
Webb Telescope Illustration from Behind Webb Telescope Illustration from Above
Artwork credit: NASA and A. Feild (STScI) Artwork credit: NASA and A. Feild (STScI)
Model credit: Northrop Grumman, NASA and G. Model credit: Northrop Grumman, NASA and G.
Bacon (STScI) Bacon (STScI)
PA G E 6 4 PA G E 6 8
Gallery 4.1 Figure 5.1
• Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array Credit: STScI
Credit: ESO/NAOJ/NRAO
• Large Synoptic Survey Telescope
Credit: LSST Corporation
• Giant Magellan Telescope
Credit: The GMTO Corporation
• E-ELT
Credit: ESO
• Thirty Meter Telescope
Credit: TMT Observatory Corporation
• WFIRST
Credit: JDEM Interim Science Working Group,
GSFC, NASA
PA G E 6 5
Figure 4.1
Credit: NASA and C. Godfrey (STScI)
PA G E 6 6
Figure 4.2
Credit: NASA
74
Adaptive optics
A technique that compensates for atmospheric turbulence by quickly adjusting the

light path in the optics. This removes seeing effects and enables the telescope to
achieve much better resolution, closer to its theoretical resolving power.
Related Glossary Terms

Drag related terms here
Index Find Term
Chapter 3 - Sunshield and Cryogenics

Arcminute
One arc minute is 1/60 of a degree of arc. The angular diameter of the full moon or
the Sun as seen from Earth is about 30 arc minutes.

Index Find Term
Chapter 3 - Instruments
Atom
The smallest unit of matter that possesses chemical properties. All atoms have the
same basic structure: a nucleus containing positively charged protons with an equal
number of negatively charged electrons orbiting around it. In addition to protons,
most nuclei contain neutral neutrons whose mass is similar to that of protons. Each
atom corresponds to a unique chemical element determined by the number of
protons in its nucleus.

Electrons, Neutral atoms, Protons, Subatomic particles
Index Find Term

Big Bang
A broadly accepted theory for the origin and evolution of our universe. The theory
says that the observable universe started roughly 13.7 billion years ago from an
extremely dense and incredibly hot initial state.

Reionizing
Index Find Term
Chapter 2 - Dark Ages to First Light

Cosmic microwave background radiation
Radiative energy filling the universe that is believed to be the radiation remaining from
the Big Bang. It is sometimes called the “primal glow.” This radiation is strongest in
the microwave part of the spectrum but has also been detected at radio and infrared
wavelengths. The intensity of the cosmic microwave background from every part of
the sky is almost exactly the same.

Big Bang, Electromagnetic spectrum
Index Find Term

Cosmic rays
High-energy atomic particles that travel through space at speeds close to the speed
of light; also known as cosmic-ray particles.

Index Find Term
Chapter 3 - Sunshield and Cryogenics

Electromagnetic spectrum
The entire range of wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation, including radio waves,

microwaves, infrared light, visible light, ultraviolet light, X-rays, and gamma rays.

Index Find Term
Chapter 1 - Sifting Through Cosmic Time

Electrons
Negatively charged elementary particles that typically reside outside the nucleus of
an atom but are bound to it by electromagnetic forces. An electron’s mass is tiny:
1,836 electrons equals the mass of one proton.

Atom, Subatomic particles
Index Find Term

Galaxies
Collections of stars, gas, and dust bound together by gravity. The smallest galaxies
may contain only a few hundred thousand stars, while the largest galaxies have
thousands of billions of stars. The Milky Way galaxy contains our solar system.
Galaxies are classified or grouped by their shape. Round or oval galaxies are
elliptical galaxies and those showing a pinwheel structure are spiral galaxies. All
others are called irregular because they do not resemble elliptical or spiral galaxies.

Index Find Term

Heavier elements
Hydrogen and helium are the two simplest and dominant elements in the universe.
More complex elements, like carbon, gold, nitrogen and oxygen, were created from
hydrogen and helium by nuclear fusion and fission. Astronomers call all the elements
more massive than these, "heavy elements."

Index Find Term

Infrared
The part of the electromagnetic spectrum that has slightly lower energy than visible
light, but is not visible to the human eye. Just as there are low-pitched sounds that
cannot be heard, there is low-energy light that cannot be seen. Infrared light can be
detected as the heat from warm-blooded animals.

Index Find Term
Chapter 1 - Introduction
Magellanic Clouds
The Magellanic Clouds are two dwarf irregular galaxies. Known as the Large
Magellanic Cloud (LMC) and the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC), the galaxies are in
the Local Group, a small cluster of more than 30 galaxies, which includes the
Andromeda and Milky Way galaxies. The closer LMC is 168,000 light-years from
Earth. Both galaxies can be observed with the naked eye in the southern night sky.

Galaxies
Index Find Term
Chapter 2 - Building Blocks

Microwaves
Electromagnetic waves in the region between infrared and radio wavelengths.

Microwave wavelengths fall between one millimeter and one meter.

Cosmic microwave background radiation, Electromagnetic spectrum, Wavelengths
Index Find Term

Neutral atoms
Atoms that have no excess positive or negative charge.

Index Find Term

Nuclear fusion
A nuclear process whereby several small nuclei are combined to make a larger one
whose mass is slightly smaller than the sum of the small ones. The difference in mass
is converted to energy by Einstein’s famous equivalence, “Energy = Mass times the
Speed of Light squared.” Nuclear fusion appears to be the source of the energy of
the Sun and of stars.

Atom
Index Find Term
Chapter 2 - New Stars, New Worlds

Protons
Positively charged elementary particles that reside in the nucleus of every atom.

Index Find Term

Quasar
The brightest type of active galactic nucleus, believed to be powered by a

supermassive black hole. The word “quasar” is derived from quasi-stellar radio
source, because this type of object was first identified as a kind of radio source.
Quasars also are called quasi-stellar objects (QSOs). Thousands of quasars have
been observed, all at extreme distances from our galaxy.

Index Find Term

Reionizing
An epoch in the early universe during which the low-density hydrogen gas between
galaxies became ionized. Ionization occurred when ultraviolet radiation from the first
stars and quasars heated the diffuse material until its electrons were liberated.

Atom, Big Bang, Electrons, Galaxies, Protons, Quasar
Index Find Term
Chapter 2 - Science Overview

Resolution
A measure of the smallest separation at which a telescope can observe two

neighboring objects as two separate objects.

Index Find Term

Shockwaves
High-pressure waves that travel at supersonic speeds. Shock waves are usually
produced by an explosion.

Supernovae
Index Find Term

Spectroscopic
The ability to spread electromagnetic radiation into its component frequencies and
wavelengths for detailed study. A spectrograph is similar to a prism, which spreads
white light into a continuous rainbow.

Electromagnetic spectrum, Wavelengths
Index Find Term

Subatomic particles
Particles that make up atoms such as protons, electrons and neutrons

Electrons, Protons
Index Find Term

Supernovae
The explosive death of massive stars whose energy output causes their expanding
gases to glow brightly for weeks or months. A supernova remnant is the glowing,
expanding gaseous remains of a supernova explosion.

Index Find Term

Wavelengths
Light is measured by its wavelength (in nanometers) or frequency (in Hertz). One
wavelength equals the distance between two successive wave crests or troughs.
Radio waves can have lengths of several feet; the wavelengths of X-rays are roughly
the size of atoms.

Index Find Term

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EDITION: 1.

We can see the beginning; the birth of stars, new solar

Sifting Through Cosmic Time

Figure 1.1 Webb Reflects the Cosmos (artist’s impression)

A Vision for the Future

The Hubble Space Telescope’s

Cosmic Dawn Seeking New Worlds Seeking Living Planets

In astronomy, the infrared portion of the electromagnetic

As starlight travels billions of light-years across space it

The primary brown dwarf in this illustration is

Infrared light is also prized because it

The science case for infrared

In 2001, the highest priority for large,

This new high-flying approach began when the first space-

The Giant Space Mirror

Figure 1.4 Inspecting Uncoated Webb Primary Mirror Segments

Webb will have seven times the

especially important because of a

To achieve this size, Webb follows a

Webb’s exploration of the universe begins where the most

Science mission goals:

• What was the nature of the first

Dark Ages to First Light

We see that moment imprinted on the universe as the cosmic

Over time, areas of higher density began to

These first stars were unlike the stars we observe in the

These supernova explosions significantly altered the chemical

Modern telescopes now struggle to penetrate the cosmic

Peel back the layers of time in the HUDF to

signals that hold the clues to the

The Cosmic Web

They formed along great filaments of dark matter that

Movie 2.3 Simulation of Two Galaxies Undergoing a Two-Billion-Year-Long Collision

Figure 2.2 Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation Images of the cosmic

The large scale structure of the cosmic web

Andromeda will collide with our galaxy in about

The Hubble sequence diagrams (right)

Collisions and mergers between

New Stars, New Worlds

Figure 2.3 The Orion Nebula, A Star-Forming Nursery

Interactive 2.2 Protoplanetary Disks in the Orion Nebula

The protoplanetary disk around a young, isolated star evolves over

Scientists know that stars form in clouds of dust and gas in

One element of this mystery is how

Figure 2.4 Hot Jupiter (artist's concept)

A leading theory is that part of the heat generated by gravitational contraction is

The science of detecting exoplanets

Figure 2.5 Habitable Zone Models by Stellar Type

Webb’s infrared vision should be able to distinguish the heat

Regardless of the chemistry of a planet,

The Space Telescope

The James Webb Space Telescope is the largest and most

Momentum Trim Tab

Sunshield and Cryogenics

Figure 3.1 A Full-scale JWST Sunshield Membrane

Webb was designed to be as cold as possible without relying

The multilayer sunshield forms a protective barrier from the

Because Webb will be in such a distant orbit, servicing

Like body armor, the sunshield will be