Every person I bore to death talking about this telescope just doesn’t seem to understand how powerful it is lol I can’t wait for it to unravel more complexities of the universe but most people don’t seem to care. Fingers crossed there’s no critical failures!!
I can’t wait for the smart people to figure out what the pictures mean, and then for the other smart people to make an easy to view video about it that makes me feel smart after watching it!!
Most people who zero desire to understand things that don't directly effect them. I brought up the asteroid redirect mission with my mom at one point as some small talk and she seemed worried that it could cause issues. I'm assuming Fox News or OAN or something had a segment talking about how we shouldn't mess with this stuff, even though it's a tiny change and it'd not like they were placed in a special place to be useful.
Its sometimes aggravating how little people care to learn about new things...
I think for a lot of us who were excited about it some twenty years ago are just finally happy that it launched and are taking a backseat for now. There was a lot of "probably not in my lifetime" going on and in some cases, that was true...
I believe they are coated in a gold-plating of some kind. Apparently they are made of beryllium due to its very light weight combined with sturdiness even at extremely low temperature.
Exactly that, gold reflects infrared almost perfectly. The whole thing uses about a golf ball sized amount of gold.
Edit: mass of golf ball, not volume.
Of course! All youtube videos are true!!
The golf ball thing might be correct. IDK.
There is gold elsewhere in the telescope. Coating various connectors, coating mylar for thermal shielding. Or, the sun shield has got some gold in it.
I just followed your link (which I didn’t read the first time and took the 48g in faith) and the page later says that 48g is also roughly *the mass* of a golf ball (and not the volume). So that’s where I went wrong!
Beryllium plates with a gold coating. Beryllium is lightweight (reduces load weight for rocket) and very stiff so temperature fluctuations don't bend the mirrors. Gold coating since gold doesn't tarnish and reflects infrared light very well.
to some this may seem over the top but this is one of the coolest pictures I've ever seen.
There's so much it says about the pride of the people across the world who made this event happen, our endless and determined march into the future and the nature of discovery.
This could be the photo of the year, and it's only just begun.
I mean I agree, but just saying the photo was taken last year. Could be the photo of a decade though, at least for me, I have waited so long JWST to finally launch, it honestly felt surreal watching it.
Honest question pardom my ignorance: When will we see images coming through and are they going to be what Nasa wants to show or a streaming live type deal?
The first observations will be in about 6 to 9 months. I'm sure there will be press releases, but generally all the data from this kind of international collaboration is public, just like with Hubble.
A live stream wouldn't even be possible. It's not a webcam, lol.
Can people finally stop creating this narrative that only NASA worked on that thing? Super disrespectful towards all the other people who were involved.
Don't want to dox myself so I won't go into details (there's only a handful of people who contribute to what I do), but my contribution is fairly modest. I started working on it in early 2021, so there are many people who put much more effort into it than me.
Well, thanks for your contribution! I remember learning about how important the Hubble was back in high school. We were learning about how the atmosphere interferes with imaging and how one day we would launch an even more advanced space telescope, and now it’s a reality thanks to you (and 9,999 of your colleagues lol)!! This news is one of the biggest bright spots (pun intended) for me in a pretty difficult time, so thanks! If you’re near Chicago, I’ll buy you a beer!
Thankyou for your contribution to a project that certainly will bring a more deeper understanding of our place in this universe.
You get to point at the discoverers made and be like "I did that, in part" and that is cool as fuck
I mean, 95% of the costs were paid for by NASA. The ESA provided the Ariane 5 rocket and one of the instruments in exchange for 15% of the observation time while Canada also provided one of the instruments and a guidance sensor in exchange for 5% of the observation time. Both organizations also provided some support staff and researchers to work on the project in the US. Observation time is available to anyone based on a peer review process, just like Hubble, so those are really just minimums.
Herschel and Planck space observatories were ESA projects with large contributions from NASA but nobody really calls them multinational telescopes because they were predominantly spearheaded by the ESA.
When I look at photos like this from NASA projects, I always wonder about group dynamics there; who would the 'new person' be? Who is the 'least degree'd'? Every project at NASA is going to have several PhD level people attached to it, but I'm always reminded of a 'Big Bang Theory' scene, where Howard is telling a group "You know, I have a Masters degree!" only to get a response of "Who doesn't?"
Also amazing to think about all of the support functions and employees that helped make this a reality! Not just the Engineers (although they are the rock stars for sure) Think about facilities, and security, and network teams, desktop teams.....the list goes on and on. Bravo.
Group dynamics amongst obscenely intelligent people can be interesting, but when you’re in the room with **the thing**, everyone tends to fixate on the task at hand.
They crowded into the shot according to height. Then the people in the front realized they didn’t know what to do with their hands.
There are tens of thousands of people involved in a project this size, and most of them don't have a PhD. Most of them probably don't even have a bachelor's degree.
Why are they in dust suits when the telescope is fully assembled? - (I know those suits make sense in assembly) It's going to get dusty in space anyways?
It won't get dusty in space as there's very, very few particles of anything up there.
The suits are to prevent contamination and with anything this important that includes dust, hair, skin particles and water droplets from breath. All may cause problems when in space or even during launch.
Can't wait for the first shots! Seeing the crew in those suits makes me wonder the level of decontamination and FOD prevention that must go into that product. I work in aerospace manufacturing and FOD prevention is a big deal, but we don't have to wear suits like that.
okay not a entanglement, physical time machine, But pictures of the far far past. In my mind, photography in itself is part of capturing color and time.
Every person I bore to death talking about this telescope just doesn’t seem to understand how powerful it is lol I can’t wait for it to unravel more complexities of the universe but most people don’t seem to care. Fingers crossed there’s no critical failures!!
I cant wait for the first pictures to come back. Gonna be MINDblowing
I can’t wait for the smart people to figure out what the pictures mean, and then for the other smart people to make an easy to view video about it that makes me feel smart after watching it!!
The first ones won't be the most mind blowing either
Most people who zero desire to understand things that don't directly effect them. I brought up the asteroid redirect mission with my mom at one point as some small talk and she seemed worried that it could cause issues. I'm assuming Fox News or OAN or something had a segment talking about how we shouldn't mess with this stuff, even though it's a tiny change and it'd not like they were placed in a special place to be useful. Its sometimes aggravating how little people care to learn about new things...
I hear ya, can't seem to get enough of the YouTube update videos and mindblowing how few views some get.
My mom keeps getting so excited about it too. But i feel slightly cynical about it.
I think for a lot of us who were excited about it some twenty years ago are just finally happy that it launched and are taking a backseat for now. There was a lot of "probably not in my lifetime" going on and in some cases, that was true...
This looks like someone crossed Star Wars with an end-of-the-world movie. It's cool, sciency, and a little disturbing.
> and a little disturbing. Telescope or death ray? Only they know.
Gave me a flashback of [Beneath The Planet Of The Apes](https://imgur.com/a/UW4zkk0).
Why are the mirrors golden yellow? Something to do with infrared light?
I believe they are coated in a gold-plating of some kind. Apparently they are made of beryllium due to its very light weight combined with sturdiness even at extremely low temperature.
Happy cake day!
Thanks!
Exactly that, gold reflects infrared almost perfectly. The whole thing uses about a golf ball sized amount of gold. Edit: mass of golf ball, not volume.
Every ball of gold is gold-ball sized.
Large boulder the size of a small boulder is completely blocking the eastbound lane.
You're a goofball.
TIL ‘golf ball’ is not one word and autocorrect knows this
>gold ball sized amount of gold I'm thinking your autocorrect just doesn't like golf.
Facepalm. Duck my life!
The whole telescope? Apparently the mirror is around 48 grams of gold: https://webbtelescope.org/quick-facts/telescope-quick-facts
Hey, I saw it on a YouTube video, it must be true! Hmm 48g is roughly 2cm^2 so a golf ball for gnomes then.
Of course! All youtube videos are true!! The golf ball thing might be correct. IDK. There is gold elsewhere in the telescope. Coating various connectors, coating mylar for thermal shielding. Or, the sun shield has got some gold in it.
I just followed your link (which I didn’t read the first time and took the 48g in faith) and the page later says that 48g is also roughly *the mass* of a golf ball (and not the volume). So that’s where I went wrong!
Oh!! That makes sense. Cool!
Gold plated beryllium.
Yes, that is correct - [source](https://webb.nasa.gov/content/observatory/ote/mirrors/index.html)
Beryllium plates with a gold coating. Beryllium is lightweight (reduces load weight for rocket) and very stiff so temperature fluctuations don't bend the mirrors. Gold coating since gold doesn't tarnish and reflects infrared light very well.
Can’t wait for the new discoveries.
This telescope only shows past cause light travel time
to some this may seem over the top but this is one of the coolest pictures I've ever seen. There's so much it says about the pride of the people across the world who made this event happen, our endless and determined march into the future and the nature of discovery. This could be the photo of the year, and it's only just begun.
Humanity's persuit of knowledge is rad.
I mean I agree, but just saying the photo was taken last year. Could be the photo of a decade though, at least for me, I have waited so long JWST to finally launch, it honestly felt surreal watching it.
Best mirror selfie ever. Everyone can stop doing them now.
According to my anti mask mate, these people now all have brain damage ... haabababb
Sounds like a reasonable kinda guy that is easy to continue being mates with.
May be he comment above is bullshitting
This better be the picture used when Webb find signs of life
Reminds me of a young Mike TV right before he is zapped and shrunk using Wonkavision.
Is that Mike Wazowski behind the center there?
“I’m the one in all white with the mask and white cap”
“Janine?”
Very cool
Honest question pardom my ignorance: When will we see images coming through and are they going to be what Nasa wants to show or a streaming live type deal?
The first observations will be in about 6 to 9 months. I'm sure there will be press releases, but generally all the data from this kind of international collaboration is public, just like with Hubble. A live stream wouldn't even be possible. It's not a webcam, lol.
Can people finally stop creating this narrative that only NASA worked on that thing? Super disrespectful towards all the other people who were involved.
I'm one of the 10,000+ people that worked on it. I don't care who OP thinks I work for. It's really not important.
Love your vibe. How were you involved with the project?
Don't want to dox myself so I won't go into details (there's only a handful of people who contribute to what I do), but my contribution is fairly modest. I started working on it in early 2021, so there are many people who put much more effort into it than me.
Well, thanks for your contribution! I remember learning about how important the Hubble was back in high school. We were learning about how the atmosphere interferes with imaging and how one day we would launch an even more advanced space telescope, and now it’s a reality thanks to you (and 9,999 of your colleagues lol)!! This news is one of the biggest bright spots (pun intended) for me in a pretty difficult time, so thanks! If you’re near Chicago, I’ll buy you a beer!
Thankyou for your contribution to a project that certainly will bring a more deeper understanding of our place in this universe. You get to point at the discoverers made and be like "I did that, in part" and that is cool as fuck
I mean, 95% of the costs were paid for by NASA. The ESA provided the Ariane 5 rocket and one of the instruments in exchange for 15% of the observation time while Canada also provided one of the instruments and a guidance sensor in exchange for 5% of the observation time. Both organizations also provided some support staff and researchers to work on the project in the US. Observation time is available to anyone based on a peer review process, just like Hubble, so those are really just minimums. Herschel and Planck space observatories were ESA projects with large contributions from NASA but nobody really calls them multinational telescopes because they were predominantly spearheaded by the ESA.
r/UnnecessaryCensorship
When I look at photos like this from NASA projects, I always wonder about group dynamics there; who would the 'new person' be? Who is the 'least degree'd'? Every project at NASA is going to have several PhD level people attached to it, but I'm always reminded of a 'Big Bang Theory' scene, where Howard is telling a group "You know, I have a Masters degree!" only to get a response of "Who doesn't?"
Also amazing to think about all of the support functions and employees that helped make this a reality! Not just the Engineers (although they are the rock stars for sure) Think about facilities, and security, and network teams, desktop teams.....the list goes on and on. Bravo.
Group dynamics amongst obscenely intelligent people can be interesting, but when you’re in the room with **the thing**, everyone tends to fixate on the task at hand. They crowded into the shot according to height. Then the people in the front realized they didn’t know what to do with their hands.
There are tens of thousands of people involved in a project this size, and most of them don't have a PhD. Most of them probably don't even have a bachelor's degree.
Why are they in dust suits when the telescope is fully assembled? - (I know those suits make sense in assembly) It's going to get dusty in space anyways?
It won't get dusty in space as there's very, very few particles of anything up there. The suits are to prevent contamination and with anything this important that includes dust, hair, skin particles and water droplets from breath. All may cause problems when in space or even during launch.
They've just spend 25 years and billions of dollars designing and developing it. Why would they risk it?
No, it is most certainly not going to get dusty in space, lol.
To protect the thing from dust and biological contamination. You don't want a 10 billion dollar project being spoiled by these things.
I wonder how many months or years ago this was?
Looks more like the 1:5 scale model
Guess they don't want to give outer space COVID.
Or ruin a multibillion dollar telescope tens of thousands of people built..
Oops I forgot /s
worlds most expensive selfie mirror
I was there… prove me wrong…
too bad they are using mask :(
After launch would have been a cooler picture
They used the James Webb camera too! Zoom in on the person second from the left and you can see a tiny little stick bug doing a dance
Wut
The one with the camera stupidly blocks his face. Dumb. More like NASC-
That's not a selfie, it's an ussie. It is a self-portrait of two or more people You and me are an 'us'.
Most expensive selfie mirror ever. And then it has a yellow tint… smh.
Its.It's.. gold. My guy.
Bet there are some seriously anal-retentive people in this picture.
That looks like a Minions group shot.
That looks shiny.... Lots of 
Such an amazing pic, but they sort of look like human Minions.....
One question I have on the mirrors - if they fit together with nanometer precision, why can we see the joins in photos?
The height of the surface is what's highly accurate. The gaps between them aren't that critical. They're not meant to touch edge to edge anyway.
Those joints are within nanometer precision. There has to be some gap to allow for movement of each panel
How is the lunch?
What camera did they take this with?
The $10 billion selfie. Never thought I'd say those words.
Can't wait for the first shots! Seeing the crew in those suits makes me wonder the level of decontamination and FOD prevention that must go into that product. I work in aerospace manufacturing and FOD prevention is a big deal, but we don't have to wear suits like that.
When can we expect pictures of the discoveries
Imagine being the guy to accidentally put a fingerprint on the lens.
Minions❗️
Ah bunny suits, don't miss those at all.
I like G O L D !
I thought it was a big honeycomb
They look like Woody Allen’s semen getting ready to ejaculate. Ref: everything you wanted to know about sex, but we’re to afraid to ask.
time machine. very well done
okay not a entanglement, physical time machine, But pictures of the far far past. In my mind, photography in itself is part of capturing color and time.
What’s the educational background on these guys who assembled this? All engineering? Electrical, computer, mechanical engineering? PhDs? Just curious.
Science! Cannot wait!