James Webb Space Telescope Maps Weather on Planet 280 Light Years Away, Raising Hopes for Biosignature Detection
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The Debrief ^
(NASA, ESA, CSA, Ralf Crawford (STScI)) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Scientists using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have successfully mapped the weather on a planet 280 light years away. Earlier
detections made by older space telescopes had hinted at the presence of an atmosphere on WASP-43b, however, the instruments aboard the JWST are the first to measure the actual weather in the planet’s atmosphere. “With Hubble, we could clearly see that there is water vapor on the dayside. Both Hubble and Spitzer suggested there might be clouds on the nightside,” explained Taylor Bell, a researcher from the Bay Area Environmental Research Institute...
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James Webb Space Telescope Detects Alcohol and Icy Organic Molecules Around a Protostar Pair
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The Debrief ^
| March 18, 2024 | Micah Hanks
The latest discoveries were made by Webb's Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) instrument as part of the James Webb Observations of Young ProtoStars (JOYS+) program and revealed key chemical ingredients astronomers are looking for in the search for distant worlds that could be home to life.Given that they are young protostars, IRAS 2A and
IRAS 23385 do not appear to have planets in orbits around them yet. However, the detections of organic molecules around them are promising indicators for regions of future habitability.Along with the detection of ethanol, MIRI has also detected what astronomers believe is probably acetic acid, an ingredient commonly...
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James Webb Space Telescope finds neutron star mergers forge gold in the cosmos: 'It was thrilling'
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SPACE.com ^
| 21 FEB 2024 | By Robert Lea
"This is the first time we've been able to verify that metals heavier than iron and silver were freshly made in front of us." An
illustration of two neutron stars colliding and merging to create a kilonova blast. (Image credit: Robin Dienel/Carnegie Institution for Science) Scientists have analyzed an unusually long blast of high-energy radiation, known as a gamma-ray burst (GRB), and determined that it originated from the collision of two ultradense neutron stars. And, importantly, this result helped the team observe a flash of light emanating from the same event that confirms these mergers are the sites that create...
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James Webb Space Telescope has Discovered and Enormous Remnant of the Early Universe that Astronomers say Shouldn't Exist
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The Debrief ^
| FEBRUARY 16, 2024 | MICAH HANKS
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has helped reveal an 11-billion-year-old discovery more massive than the Milky Way, which astronomers say should not exist. The
unprecedented discovery, which could upend our current understanding about the formation of galaxies, and also require scientists to rethink the mysterious nature of dark matter, involves an extremely old—and massive—galaxy that existed in the early universe which was home to an ancient population of stars. What makes the discovery unique and perplexing to astronomers is that the stars observed in this primordial galaxy should not have been able to form according to current models, because there...
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James Webb Space Telescope observes 19 intricate galaxy structures in stunning detail (images)
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SPACE.com ^
| January 29, 2024 | By Robert Lea
The treasure trove of images reveals intricate patterns of gas and dust in spiral galaxies beyond the Milky Way in unprecedented detail. Recently
released James Webb Space Telescope images of 19 distant galaxies shine an entirely new, dynamic and vibrant light on these gorgeous realms. The treasure trove of cosmic portraits taken by this $10 billion telescope reveals highly detailed, and quite breathtaking, face-on views of the spirals as seen from the instrument's vantage point in space. These JWST images had particularly excited astronomers while in the process of being delivered because they emphasized that no two galaxies are the...
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NASA's James Webb Space Telescope identifies 'tiniest free-floating brown dwarf'
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UPI / NASA ^
| DEC. 13, 2023 / 2:45 PM | By Patrick Hilsman
Researchers from Penn State University and the European Space Agency havr located the smallest known brown dwarf by using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope. Photo courtesy of the European Space Agency ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dec. 13 (UPI) -- NASA said its James Webb Space Telescope has spotted the "tiniest free-floating brown dwarf" ever identified.
"Brown dwarfs are objects that straddle the dividing line between stars and planets," the space agency said in a press release Wednesday, "They form like stars," NASA said. However, unlike stars, Brown dwarfs don't have enough mass to cause nuclear fusion in their cores the way stars do....
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James Webb Space Telescope finds 2 of the most distant galaxies ever seen
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SPACE.com ^
| 14 Nov 2023 | By Keith Cooper
These two galaxies, magnified by a gravitational lens, have properties that support the basic picture of galaxy formation as described in the Big Bang theory. The
JWST's view of Pandora's Cluster. This is the cluster that served as a gravitational lens for the new galactic findings. (Image credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, I. Labbe (Swinburne University of Technology), R. Bezanson (University of Pittsburgh), A. Pagan (STScI)) The second and fourth most distant galaxies ever seen have been spotted by the eagle eye of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), supporting the basic picture of galaxy formation as described by the Big...
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James Webb Space Telescope reveals the colorful Ring Nebula in exquisite detail (photos, video)
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Space.com ^
| August 3, 2023 | By Robert Lea
The James Webb Space Telescope has imaged the Ring Nebula as a glowing green and purple eye, presenting the familiar astronomical object in an altogether new light. Aside
from its stunning aesthetic value, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) images show the Ring Nebula, also known as Messier 57 (M57), located around 2,200 light-years away, in intricate detail that will surprise even astronomers who are familiar with the object.Located in the Lyra constellation, the Ring Nebula is a popular target for space enthusiasts as its donut-shaped ring of glowing gas and dust is visible even with small backyard telescopes throughout...
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James Webb Telescope unveils complex rings around young star
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UPI ^
| MAY 9, 2023 / 12:23 PM | By Patrick Hilsman
Researchers using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope have discovered multiple debris rings within a previously discovered ring around the young star Fomalhaut. Photo Courtesy of NASA May 9 (UPI) -- Researchers using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope observed multiple debris rings surrounding a young star. The
James Webb Telescope's Mid-Infrared Instrument, which is designed to capture very long wavelengths of light, found three nested belts surrounding the Fomalhaut star, out to a distance of up to 14 billion miles, NASA said Monday. Observations by NASA's Infrared Astronomical Satellite first discovered Fomalhuat's dust ring, the first asteroid belt seen outside of...
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Rings around Uranus! James Webb Space Telescope captures stunning image of ice giant (photo, video)
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space.com ^
| Robert Lea
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has captured an amazing image of Uranus, showing in great detail the ice giant's ring system, its brightest moons and its dynamic atmosphere. The
new observation, made on Feb. 6, follows a similarly stunning photo JWST captured recently of the solar system's other ice giant, Neptune. The new Uranus image shows 11 of the planet's 13 known rings, some of which are so bright that they blend together somewhat. What will really astound astronomers, however, is the fact that JWST's Near Infrared Camera (NIRCam) instrument is sensitive enough to have captured the innermost two...
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James Webb Space Telescope spots galaxy from early universe rich in star formation
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SPACE.com ^
| March 8, 2023 | By Samantha Mathewson
'We found this galaxy to be super-chemically abundant, something none of us expected.' A
gravitationally lensed view of a ring-shaped slice of the galaxy SPT0418-47, as seen by the ALMA array in Chile. Recent observations by NASA's James Webb Space Telescope reveal that the galaxy has a satellite that's rich in star formation. A gravitationally lensed view of a ring-shaped slice of the galaxy SPT0418-47, as seen by the ALMA array in Chile. Recent observations by NASA's James Webb Space Telescope reveal that the galaxy has a satellite that's rich in star formation. (Image credit: ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO), Rizzo et al.)...
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Astronomers shocked to 'discover the impossible' from James Webb Space Telescope images: 'I nearly spit out my coffee'
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The Blaze ^
| February 23, 2023 | Carlos Garcia
Scientists say that images from the James Webb Space Telescope may change how they understand the origins of the universe after they discovered "the impossible." The
findings were published in the journal "Nature" on Wednesday. Astronomers expected to find "tiny, young, baby galaxies" from the cosmic history documented in the images, but they found something else entirely. The study's lead author, Ivo Labbé, explained how shocked he was when he realized what the images meant. "Little did I know that among the pictures is a small red dot that will shake up our understanding of how the first galaxies formed...
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James Webb Space Telescope discovers water ice at ringed asteroid Chariklo 'by remarkable luck'
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Space ^
| By Sharmila Kuthunur
The most comprehensive plans need a sprinkle of luck, even in space. VIDEO
AT LINK In October 2022, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST or Webb) watched as Chariklo, a tiny ringed asteroid, eclipsed a star. This event, called an occultation, marked a first for Webb. At the month's end, Webb turned toward Chariklo again and notched another victory: For the first time, astronomers analyzing the telescope's data spotted clear signs of water ice, the presence of which was only hinted at until now. These observations will guide astronomers to better understand the nature and behavior of tiny bodies in...
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James Webb Space Telescope’s NIRISS Instrument Knocked Offline
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Scitech Daily ^
| JANUARY 25, 2023 | By NASA
Artist conception of the James Webb Space Telescope. Credit: NASA GSFC/CIL/Adriana Manrique Gutierrez On Sunday, January 15, 2023, the James Webb Space Telescope’s Near Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph (NIRISS) experienced a communications delay within the instrument, causing its flight software to time out. The
instrument is currently unavailable for science observations while NASA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) work together to determine and correct the root cause of the delay. There is no indication of any danger to the hardware, and the observatory and other instruments are all in good health. The affected science observations will be...
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Royal Astronomical Society CANCELS NASA's James Webb Space Telescope over claims its namesake discriminated against gay employees - and orders its 4,000 members to stop using the telescope's name in studies
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Daily Mail ^
| 21 December 2022 | XANTHA LEATHAM
An interstellar row has broken out between the Royal Astronomical Society and Nasa over claims a former boss purged gay staff. The
James Webb space telescope – the most powerful observatory ever built – was named in honour of the man who ran the space agency in the 1960s. But the 202-year-old society has ordered its 4,000 members to refrain from using the telescope's full title following claims that Mr Webb was a homophobe who oversaw a purge of gay employees.
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James Webb Space Telescope’s MIRI Instrument Restored to Full Functionality
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Scitech Daily ^
| NOVEMBER 8, 2022 | NASA
NASA James Webb Space Telescope Multilayered Sunshield In this illustration, the multilayered sunshield on NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope stretches out beneath the observatory’s honeycomb mirror. The
sunshield is the first step in cooling down Webb’s infrared instruments, but the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) requires additional help to reach its operating temperature. Credit: NASA GSFC/CIL/Adriana Manrique Gutierrez The Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) on NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has four observational modes. After measuring increased friction in one of the grating wheels used in MIRI’s medium resolution spectrometry (MRS) mode, the Webb team paused science observations using this specific mode on August...
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Problem Detected on the James Webb Space Telescope – MIRI Anomaly
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Scitech Daily ^
| SEPTEMBER 20, 2022 | By NASA
TOPICS:James Webb Space TelescopeNASA Webb MIRI Spectroscopy Animation James Webb Space Telescope MIRI Spectroscopy Animation: The beam of light coming from the telescope is then shown in deep blue entering the instrument through the pick-off mirror located at the top of the instrument and acting like a periscope. Then,
a series of mirrors redirect the light toward the bottom of the instruments where a set of 4 spectroscopic modules are located. Once there, the beam of light is divided by optical elements called dichroics in 4 beams corresponding to different parts of the mid-infrared region. Each beam enters its own...
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JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE SHOWS BIG BANG DIDN’T HAPPEN? WAIT…
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Mind Matters News ^
| 8/13/22 | Rob Webb
Physicist Eric J. Lerner comes to the point:To everyone who sees them, the new James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) images of the cosmos are beautifully awe-inspiring. But
to most professional astronomers and cosmologists, they are also extremely surprising—not at all what was predicted by theory. In the flood of technical astronomical papers published online since July 12, the authors report again and again that the images show surprisingly many galaxies, galaxies that are surprisingly smooth, surprisingly small and surprisingly old. Lots of surprises, and not necessarily pleasant ones. One paper’s title begins with the candid exclamation: “Panic!”Why do the JWST’s...
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SCIENTISTS PUZZLED BECAUSE JAMES WEBB IS SEEING STUFF THAT SHOULDN'T BE THERE. "THE MODELS JUST DON'T PREDICT THIS..."
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The Byte ^
| 08/30/2022 | MAGGIE HARRISON
Over the past several weeks, NASA's ultra-powerful James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has allowed humankind some unprecedented glimpses into the farthest reaches of our universe. And
unsurprisingly, some of these dazzling new observations have raised more questions than they've answered.For a long time, for instance, scientists believed the universe's earliest, oldest galaxies to be small, slightly chaotic, and misshapen systems. But according to the Washington Post, JWST-captured imagery has revealed those galaxies to be shockingly massive, not to mention balanced and well-formed — a finding that challenges, and will likely rewrite, long-held understandings about the origins of our universe. "The...
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James Webb telescope appears to picture wormhole in 'Phantom Galaxy'
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UPI ^
| 7/22/2022 | Pedro Oliveira Jr.
July 22 (UPI) -- NASA's latest deep-space telescope continues to shock astronomers and amateurs with jaw-dropping new images captured from the outer reaches of the cosmos. The
James Webb Space Telescope appears to have pictured a wormhole spinning in the "Phantom Galaxy," a place whose very center scientists believe may contain a black hole. "I've been doing this for 10 years now, and [Webb] data is new, different and exciting," Judy Schmidt, who processed raw data from NASA into a stunning photo of the Phantom Galaxy, told Space.com. "Of course I'm going to make something with it." The latest images...
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