#Optical telescope facts plus#

NICMOS has the ability to obtain images and spectroscopic observations of astronomical targets at near-infrared wavelengths. Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS).The FGS can also function as a scientific instrument by precisely measuring the relative positions of stars, detecting rapid changes in a star’s brightness, and resolving double-star systems that appear as point sources even to Hubble’s cameras. The FGS provides pointing information for the spacecraft by locking onto guide stars. Its combination of field-of-view, sensitivity and low detector improves 15-20 times over Hubble's previous IR camera.

A second camera that is built to view infrared (IR) light increases Hubble's IR resolution from 65,000 to 1 million pixels. It has a camera that records visible and ultraviolet (UV) wavelengths of light and is 35 times more sensitive in the UV wavelengths than its predecessor, Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2. Wide Field Camera 3 is the main imager on the telescope. STIS is used to obtain high-resolution spectra of resolved objects and has the special ability to simultaneously obtain spectra from many different points along a target. STIS is a second-generation imager/spectrograph.

Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS).

It is best at observing points of light, like stars and quasars. Each has its pluses and minuses, and of course, each type can cost a little or a lot depending on the quality of the optics and the accessories.

#Optical telescope facts plus#

Telescopes come in three basic designs: refractor, reflector, and catadioptric, plus some variations on each of the types. The telescope is an instrument which collects and analyzes the radiation emitted by distant sources. This camera is optimized to perform surveys or broad imaging campaigns.ĬOS focuses exclusively on ultraviolet (UV) light and is the most sensitive ultraviolet spectrograph ever, increasing Hubble's sensitivity at least 10 times in the UV spectrum and up to 70 times when looking at extremely faint objects. Knowing the answer to those questions will help narrow down a telescope choice. Webb also has a cryocooler for cooling the mid-infrared detectors of another instrument ( MIRI) to a very cold 7 K so they can work.ACS is a third-generation imaging camera. One instrument ( NIRSpec) has programmable microshutters, which enable observation up to 100 objects simultaneously. The telescope’s four instruments - cameras and spectrometers - have detectors that are able to record extremely faint signals. Webb’s biggest feature is a tennis court sized five-layer sunshield that attenuates heat from the Sun more than a million times. Hinode’s Solar Optical Telescope is the first spaceborne instrument to measure the strength and direction of the Sun’s magnetic field on the Sun’s surface, the photosphere. The mirrors are made of ultra-lightweight beryllium.

These include a primary mirror made of 18 separate segments that unfold and adjust to shape after launch.

Several innovative technologies have been developed for Webb. The main industrial partner is Northrop Grumman the Space Telescope Science Institute operates Webb after launch. The NASA Goddard Space Flight Center managed the development effort. Webb is an international collaboration between NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). 2002 after a former NASA administrator, James Webb. Webb was formerly known as the 'Next Generation Space Telescope' (NGST) it was renamed in Sept. It studies every phase in the history of our Universe, ranging from the first luminous glows after the Big Bang, to the formation of solar systems capable of supporting life on planets like Earth, to the evolution of our own Solar System. Webb is the premier observatory of the next decade, serving thousands of astronomers worldwide. Webb successfully launched from ESA's spaceport in French Guiana on Decem07:20am EST ( 12:20 GMT/UTC). The James Webb Space Telescope (sometimes called JWST or Webb) is a large infrared telescope with an approximately 6.5 meter primary mirror. the premier observatory of the next decade