In the blink of an eye
Nov 25, 2021
3 minutes
Don Norris Editor
If all goes well, on 18 December of 2021 an Ariane 5 rocket launched from French Guiana will carry the James Webb Telescope into orbit on the celestial equator. Its 6.5-metre primary mirror is made up of 18 separate segments which will unfold origami-style to create an imaging system 100 times more sensitive than the famous Hubble Telescope. Serving astronomers from around the world, its two Infrared cameras will capture a region of sky equivalent to three moons in area.
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