The first image taken by the James Webb Space Telescope has already made its way around the web, and today NASA will share more images. Meanwhile, experts Dr. Kamil Deresz from the Copernicus Science Center Planetarium, Dr. Tomasz Rożek from the “Science. I Like Foundation” and Przemysław Rudź from the Polish Space Agency told us how Webb can change the approach to researching the Universe.
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The National Aeronautics and Space Agency announced that first images from the James Webb Space Telescope will be officially published on Tuesday, July 12, 2022. However, the day before, US President Joe Biden had the honor of presenting himself at the premiere the first photo from the groundbreaking observatory.
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“The first image from the Webb Space Telescope represents a historic moment for science and technology. For astronomy and space exploration,” the US President wrote on Twitter. “And also for America and all mankind,” he added.
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“Here it is – the deepest and sharpest infrared image of the Universe ever: Webb’s First Deep Field,” commented NASA on Twitter. “Unveiled by the President of the United States on July 11, it shows galaxies that were once invisible to us,” notes the agency, which today around 4.30 pm he will publish more photos from the James Webb Space Telescope.
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The James Webb Space Telescope in the eyes of the experts
As noted by Joe Biden, the first image from the Webb Space Telescope is a turning point for all mankind – including Poles. That is why we asked for comments from several national experts who, despite their different specializations, share a love for space and science.
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Przemysław Rudź, Chief Specialist, Department of Information and Promotion from the Polish Space Agency (POLSA) emphasizes that “the first JWST image shared at the White House conference, apart from its fascinating astrophysical content, shows the enormous potential of the James Webb Space Telescope as our (humanity) eye on the Universe.”
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– You can see here a giant qualitative leap in relation to the capabilities of the well-deserved Hubble Space Telescope (HST). All in all, it is not surprising – the JWST has a diameter of 6 meters, the HST is only 2.4 meters, so the resolution parameter will be much better here, and this is the key issue in terms of the interpretation of the received images. Both constructions are more than 30 years from the launch into orbit, so it is also a technological leap in the field of recording and image processing – explains Rudź.
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Dr. Kamil Deresz from the Planetarium of the Copernicus Science Center believes that the JWST is a huge technological breakthrough in the field of space research. – The first picture announces new discoveries. They will allow, among others to determine whether on any (of many known to us) extrasolar planets there are favorable conditions for the emergence of life in space. In addition, we will see the first stars in the universe and how galaxies have changed, the scientist predicts.
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The best is yet to come
– We built it because we know we can discover something. We know that thanks to him we will take a look at places we couldn’t beforebecause it was technically impossible. We also know that we are able to construct a device that it will even show what we’ve seen before, but with much more accuracy – says Rożek. – But how will this greater accuracy translate into understanding, for example, what is in the center of a galaxy? I do not know the answer to this question, because this answer is only supposed to appear when the images from the telescope will finally reach Earth – noted the scientist.
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Przemysław Rudź from POLSA also agrees. – We expect that JWST will enable us even more get closer to the boundary conditions in which the young Universe was formedwhen the first stars and galaxies were born. It will also certainly be used to observe distant exoplanets in the context of the analysis of physicochemical conditions in their atmospheres. It will be an introduction to the search for the worlds where organic life could develop. Overall, the times are good for astrophysics and cosmology – concludes the expert.
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Konrad Siwik, journalist of Wirtualna Polska
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