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General: A COSMIC TIME MACHINE: HOW THE JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE LETS US SEE THE FIRST
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Published: July 17, 2022 9.02pm BST
It has been an exciting week with the release of breathtaking photos of our Universe by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). Images such as the one below give us a chance to see faint distant galaxies as they were more than 13 billion years ago.
The SMACS 0723 deep field image was taken with only a 12.5-hour exposure. Faint galaxies in this image emitted this light more than 13 billion years ago. NASA, ESA, CSA, and STScI
It’s the perfect time to step back and appreciate our first-class ticket to the depths of the Universe and how these images allow us to look back in time.
These images also raise interesting points about how the expansion of the Universe factors into the way we calculate distances at a cosmological scale.
Modern time travel
Looking back in time might sound like a strange concept, but it’s what space researchers do every single day.
Our Universe is bound by the rules of physics, with one of the best-known “rules” being the speed of light. And when we talk about “light”, we’re actually referring to all the wavelengths across the electromagnetic spectrum, which travel at around a whooping 300,000 kilometres per second.
Light travels so fast that in our everyday lives it appears to be instantaneous. Even at these break-neck speeds, it still takes some time to travel anywhere across the cosmos.
When you look at the Moon, you actually see it as it was 1.3 seconds ago. It’s only a tiny peek back in time, but it’s still the past. It’s the same with sunlight, except the photons (light particles) emitted from the Sun’s surface travel just over eight minutes before they finally reach Earth.
Our galaxy, the Milky Way, spans 100,000+ light-years. And the beautiful newborn stars seen in JWST’s Carina Nebula image are 7,500 light-years away. In other words, this nebula as pictured is from a time roughly 2,000 years earlier than when the first ever writing is thought to have been invented in ancient Mesopotamia.
The Carina Nebula is a birthplace for stars. NASA, ESA, CSA, and STScI
Anytime we look away from the Earth, we’re looking back in time to how things once were. This is a superpower for astronomers because we can use light, as observed throughout time, to try to puzzle together the mystery of our universe.
What makes JWST spectacular
Space-based telescopes let us see certain ranges of light that are unable to pass through Earth’s dense atmosphere. The Hubble space telescope was designed and optimised to use both ultraviolet (UV) and visible parts of the electromagnetic spectrum.
The JWST was designed to use a broad range of infrared light. And this is a key reason the JWST can see further back in time than Hubble.
The electromagnetic spectrum with Hubble and JWST’s ranges. Hubble is optimised to see shorter wavelengths. These two telescopes complement each other, giving us a fuller picture of the universe. NASA, J. Olmsted (STScI)
Galaxies emit a range of wavelengths on the electromagnetic spectrum, from gamma rays to radio waves, and everything in between. All of these give us important information about the different physics occurring in a galaxy.
When galaxies are near us, their light hasn’t changed that much since being emitted, and we can probe a vast range of these wavelengths to understand what’s happening inside them.
But when galaxies are extremely far away, we no longer have that luxury. The light from the most distant galaxies, as we see it now, has been stretched to longer and redder wavelengths due to the expansion of the universe.
This means some of the light that would have been visible to our eyes when it was first emitted has since lost energy as the universe expanded. It’s now in a completely different region of the electromagnetic spectrum. This is a phenomenon called “cosmological redshift”.
And this is where the JWST really shines. The broad range of infrared wavelengths detectable by JWST allow it to see galaxies Hubble never could. Combine this capability with the JWST’s enormous mirror and superb pixel resolution, and you have the most powerful time machine in the known universe.
Read more: Two experts break down the James Webb Space Telescope's first images, and explain what we've already learnt
Light age does not equal distance
Using the JWST, we will be able to capture extremely distant galaxies as they were only 100 million years after the Big Bang – which happened around 13.8 billion years ago.
So we will be able to see light from 13.7 billion years ago. What’s about to hurt your brain, however, is that those galaxies are not 13.7 billion light-years away. The actual distance to those galaxies today would be ~46 billion light-years.
This discrepancy is all thanks to the expanding universe, and makes working on a very large scale tricky.
The universe is expending due to something called “dark energy”. It’s thought to be a universal constant, acting equally in all areas of space-time (the fabric of our universe).
And the more the universe expands, the greater the effect dark energy has on its expansion. This is why even though the universe is 13.8 billion years old, it’s actually about 93 billion light-years across.
We can’t see the effect of dark energy on a galactic scale (within the Milky Way) but we can see it over much greater cosmological distances.
Sit back and enjoy
We live in a remarkable time of technology. Just 100 years ago, we didn’t know there were galaxies outside our own. Now we estimate there are trillions, and we are spoilt for choice.
For the foreseeable future, the JWST will be taking us on a journey through space and time each and every week. You can stay up to date with the latest news as NASA releases it.
https://theconversation.com/a-cosmic-time-machine-how-the-james-webb-space-telescope-lets-us-see-the-first-galaxies-in-the-universe-187015 |
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Unknown: Cosmic Time Machine – NASA’s Risky James Webb Telescope Launch & How It Helps Space Exploration
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SUMMARY
- Unknown: Cosmic Time Machine is a documentary focusing on NASA's risky James Webb Telescope launch and its role in space exploration.
- The James Webb Space Telescope is the largest and most ambitious space telescope ever made, allowing scientists to view celestial objects too distant for other devices.
- The successful launch of the James Webb Space Telescope marked a significant milestone in understanding the universe and has already provided stunning images and new insights into space.
Unknown: Cosmic Time Machine, the latest entry in Netflix's acclaimed documentary series, delves into NASA's risky James Webb Telescope launch and just how the device aids in space exploration. This behind-the-scenes look at NASA's James Webb Space Launch centers on the team of boundary-pushing scientists and engineers who helmed the effort, all while providing viewers with insight into how the James Webb Space Telescope will help them unravel the many mysteries of space.
Instead of tackling true-crime cold cases, Netflix's Unknown docuseries delves into larger, enigmatic concepts and discoveries, from an episode centered on the anthropological site dubbed the "Cradle of Humanity" to the far reaches of space. The final installment in the four-part miniseries, Cosmic Time Machine is a feature-length discussion of everything from the development and launch of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to its impact on the future of astrophysics. Given that July 2023 marks the one-year anniversary of the JWST's first observations, Unknown:Cosmic Time Machine couldn't have been released at a better time.
RELATED:Check Out James Webb's Awe-Inspiring Image Of The Tarantula Nebula
What NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope Is & Why It’s So Important For Space Exploration
The James Webb Space Telescope is not only the largest space telescope ever made but the most ambitious. Developed by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and its international partner agencies, the Webb conducts what's called infrared astronomy and, thanks to its impressive instruments, allows scientists to view celestial objects that are too distant to be seen with other devices. Unknown: Cosmic Time Machine opens with interviewees describing the universe as it was 13.8 billion years ago — a time period that, thanks to the JWST, will come to define the future of astronomy and astrophysics.
As the documentary explains, 13.8 billion years ago marks the "first light" — the first time elements combined to form stars in the vast darkness of space. Studying these first-ever galaxies in the universe allows astrophysicists and others to understand that "distant past where creation happened"; the James Webb Space Telescope is the key to enabling that research. Until now, researchers haven't been able to see beyond the lights of our galaxy, the Milky Way. The Webb, with its high-resolution and high-sensitivity instruments, can see into the apparent darkness, capturing objects that have otherwise been too faint or old to view.
How The James Webb Space Telescope Compares To The Hubble Telescope
Prior to the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope, the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) was known for being one of the largest and most capable of its kind. Launched into low Earth orbit in 1990, the Hubble was a breakthrough innovation: without the interference and distortion caused by Earth's atmosphere, the HST can capture more advanced images than any on-the-ground telescope. Although the Hubble allowed astrophysicists to advance their field quite substantially, the James Webb takes scientists' ability to observe to new heights.
At the time of its launch, part of the Hubble's appeal was its immensely detailed visible light images. Now, the differences between The Hubble and James Webb Telescopes' images are immediately clear. The JWST provides an even deeper view into the expanse of space by allowing scientists to see beyond the Milky Way and into the darkness that's evaded them. Before the creation and launch of the JWST, no space agency had the technology needed to view what Unknown's interviewees call "the first part of that story of the universe." While the Hubble Space Telescope primarily revolutionized the study of our own galaxy, the James Webb Space Telescope will allow for the study of other galaxies as well as the origins of the universe itself.
Is Cosmic Time Machine’s James Webb Telescope Launch Successful? What Happens
Billed as the "riskiest mission" ever undertaken by NASA and its partner agencies, the successful launch of the James Webb Space Telescope was an accomplishment as mesmerizing as the images the telescope has captured since. For reference, the mission marked "the largest number of single-point failures of any mission ever done." To make matters more complicated, the mission endeavored to send the JWSY one million miles away in order to get the best images possible. Even with the efforts of brilliant scientists and engineers at the tops of their fields, the mission's success required an extraordinary amount of luck too.
Launched on December 25, 2021, the James Webb had to travel nearly one million miles beyond Earth's orbit around the Sun to a location called the Sun–Earth L2 Lagrange point. A halo orbit around this position allows the telescope to evade Earth and Moon's shadows. As an infrared telescope, the Webb requires high-tech heat shields to ensure its instruments aren't overwhelmed and, to maintain its otherwise-unstable orbital position, the JWST uses propellant, ensuring it won't drift away.
As shown in Unknown: Cosmic Time Machine, the Webb arrived at its orbital position on January 24, 2022, with observers calling the incredibly complicated launch not just successful but "flawless" (via Space.com). A few months after the James Webb Space Telescope arrived at its destination, a NASA press conference released the telescope's first mind-blowing images to the public on July 11, 2022. Since then, scientists have no doubt made great strides in understanding the formation and evolution of the universe as well as the origins of life itself.
Who Is Amber Straughn? The NASA Astrophysicist’s Career & JWST Contributions Explained
"The James Webb Space Telescope will fundamentally change the way we understand the universe," NASA astrophysicist Dr. Amber Straughn says in Netflix's Unknown: Cosmic Time Machine. According to Straughn, the JWST will not only help humans understand the how and why of their lives, but allow researchers to discover other forms of life in space's vastness. In addition to being one of the opening narrators in the Netflix documentary, Straughn is the Deputy Project Scientist for James Webb Space Telescope Science Communications.
"Straughn's research focuses on interacting and star-forming galaxies in the context of galaxy assembly," NASA notes. This extends to research about the growth of black holes, the formation of stars, and how galaxies form and evolve. Given her enduring career with NASA and core specialties, Straughn has worked on the James Webb Space Telescope project for over 15 years. As the Webb continues its mission, the accomplished astrophysicist will maintain her role in the project's communication and outreach endeavors.
RELATED:Here’s How To Name Planets, Stars Discovered By James Webb Telescope
Thomas Zurbuchen’s JWST Work & Career At NASA Explained
Prior to joining NASA, Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen was a professor of space science and aerospace engineering. The adept astrophysicist served as Associate Administrator for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA from 2016 through 2022. That said, he oversaw many of the agency's key projects, including the successful launch of the James Webb Space Telescope. In total, Zurbuchen supervised 37 mission launches during his career with NASA (via ExecutiveGov).
Aside from his own contributions, Zurbuchen was instrumental in bringing engineer Gregory Robinson to the project. Although Robinson was already working at NASA, he wasn't keen on giving up his other pursuits to oversee the JWST. Eventually, Robinson did take over as Program Director of the James Webb Space Telescope, becoming the face of the history-making mission and, alongside his team, TIME's 2022 innovator of the year. After those first Webb images were released to the public, Zurbuchen stepped down from his role at NASA, noting the need for leadership with new, even more innovative ideas.
The Biggest Results From The James Webb Space Telescope Since Netflix’s Documentary
By allowing scientists to peer further and deeper into space, the James Webb Space Telescope is also enabling researchers to learn more about humanity — and the universe's — past. The title of the Netflix documentary isn't too far off at all: telescopes are like cosmic time machines in that they allow scientists to see the universe as it once looked. "This sounds like science fiction, but it's actually just due to the simple fact that light takes time to travel through space," Straughn explains. "... [For] things that are much further away, light takes more time to travel to our telescopes. And so we're literally seeing them as they were in the past."
For curious viewers, NASA maintains an easily accessible list of the JWST's accomplishments (via NASA). The most stunning shots from the James Webb Telescope so far are always worth revisiting, but the telescope has accomplished other impressive feats too. Recently, it detected water vapor in one of the far-off areas it can peer into, allowing scientists to further understand how the life-forming substance made it to Earth. Additionally, the James Webb snapped an incredibly detailed image of actively forming stars. While Unknown: Cosmic Time Machine only offers a glimpse into what the James Webb Space Telescope is capable of, it's clear the technology will continue to provide crucial, perception-altering insights.
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| , MA History, BA History
Jesus Christ had twelve disciples, each of whom accompanied the Biblical savior during His time on earth. Many of them continued His Christian work after the ascension. The twelve men were Peter, James (Jesus’ brother), John, Andrew, Philip, Judas Iscariot (who betrayed Jesus, and was replaced by Matthias), Matthew, Thomas, James, the son of Alpheus, Bartholomew, Judas Thaddeus; and Simon the Zealot. Of them all, Saint James, also known as James, brother of Jesus, James, son of Alpheus, James the Lesser, James the Minor, and James the Just, was one of the most prominent and significant.
James, Son of Alphaeus, James the Greater, and James, the Brother of Jesus
 St James the Minor, Peter Paul Rubens, 1613. Source: Wikipedia
Various Gospels are often ambiguous, at times, as to which James is being referenced. Two to three James’s are spoken of in the Gospels – James, brother of John (aka James the Greater); James, brother of Jesus, and James, son of Alphaeus. The Catholic doctrine of the perpetual virginity of Mary holds that James the son of Alpheus and James, brother of Jesus are the same person, as James could not be Jesus’ physical full brother. In Protestant readings, the two are separate. If the two are separate, then very little is known regarding James, son of Alpheus.
James, Brother of Jesus
 Statue of St. James the Less in the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran by Angelo de Rossi. Source: Wikipedia
James, the brother of Jesus, was a follower and Disciple of Jesus Christ during His earthly ministry and one of the first leaders of the early Christian Church. He remained in Jerusalem as leader of the church following the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus, and was likely martyred at the temple in Jerusalem.
James’ Position in the Early Church
 St. James the Minor, by Georges de la Tour, 1615-20. Source: Wikipedia
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In Acts 15, a Council in Jerusalem was held regarding circumcision over which James presided. The Acts 15 Council is considered probably the first Christian council, where many Apostles congregated to discuss the matter brought by Paul and Barnabas. In Galatians 1, the Apostle Paul records a meeting with James in the process of Paul confirming his conversion to the other Apostles. James may have been the first elected leader within the early church. Through the writings of Eusebius in the 200s, we have the records of Clement of Alexandria from the second century that James was elected leader of the Jerusalem Church.
St James Was Martyred
 Saint James the Less (Menologion of Basil II). Source: The Byzantine Life
The death of James the Just around 62 CE is recorded by Eusebius, Clement of Alexandria, and Josephus. Eusebius copied the chronicles of an earlier Christian, Hegesippus, who wrote that James was martyred by being thrown from the pinnacle of the temple in Jerusalem, and beaten with a club when the fall did not kill him.
Non-canonical Writings Attributed to Saint James
 The Protoevangelium of James, James Orr. Source: Rakuten Kobo
The Gospel of James, also known as The Protoevangelium of James, is a book of unknown source that was being circulated within the second century church. Both Origen and Clement of Alexandria reference the book in their writings, so it was at least written around that time. The Gospel of James contains the first mention of the idea of the perpetual virginity of Mary, the mother of Jesus. The book was condemned by Pope Innocent I in 405, and it has generally not been accepted throughout church history as canonical due to its late writing and inconstant content.
The First and Second Apocalypse of James and the Apocryphon of James are other 2nd century books whose author claimed to be James. Each of these books were from a collection of gnostic (secret knowledge) texts found in Egypt in 1945. In addition to an authorship too late to be James, they are also part of gnostic texts written in an attempt to legitimize the early movement within Christianity.
James, the Son of Alphaeus
 Two Martyr Saints in an Initial S (Alphaeus and Zacchaeus), 14th century. Source: Victoria and Albert Museum
James the son of Alphaeus, while mentioned in the listings of the apostles, has very few details known regarding his life. Outside of being listed among the apostles, and described in the Gospel of Mark as “the lesser” or “the smaller,” he is barely mentioned in the Bible. Several early Christian writings attempt to identify him with James the Just, but most try to maintain the perpetual virginity of Mary in a complex manner. It is speculated that he died as a martyr by crucifixion in Ostrakine, Egypt.
https://www.thecollector.com/who-was-saint-james-brother-of-jesus/ |
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| , MA History, BA History
Jesus Christ had twelve disciples, each of whom accompanied the Biblical savior during His time on earth. Many of them continued His Christian work after the ascension. The twelve men were Peter, James (Jesus’ brother), John, Andrew, Philip, Judas Iscariot (who betrayed Jesus, and was replaced by Matthias), Matthew, Thomas, James, the son of Alpheus, Bartholomew, Judas Thaddeus; and Simon the Zealot. Of them all, Saint James, also known as James, brother of Jesus, James, son of Alpheus, James the Lesser, James the Minor, and James the Just, was one of the most prominent and significant.
James, Son of Alphaeus, James the Greater, and James, the Brother of Jesus
St James the Minor, Peter Paul Rubens, 1613. Source: Wikipedia
Various Gospels are often ambiguous, at times, as to which James is being referenced. Two to three James’s are spoken of in the Gospels – James, brother of John (aka James the Greater); James, brother of Jesus, and James, son of Alphaeus. The Catholic doctrine of the perpetual virginity of Mary holds that James the son of Alpheus and James, brother of Jesus are the same person, as James could not be Jesus’ physical full brother. In Protestant readings, the two are separate. If the two are separate, then very little is known regarding James, son of Alpheus.
James, Brother of Jesus
Statue of St. James the Less in the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran by Angelo de Rossi. Source: Wikipedia
James, the brother of Jesus, was a follower and Disciple of Jesus Christ during His earthly ministry and one of the first leaders of the early Christian Church. He remained in Jerusalem as leader of the church following the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus, and was likely martyred at the temple in Jerusalem.
James’ Position in the Early Church
St. James the Minor, by Georges de la Tour, 1615-20. Source: Wikipedia
Get the latest articles delivered to your inbox
Sign up to our Free Weekly Newsletter
In Acts 15, a Council in Jerusalem was held regarding circumcision over which James presided. The Acts 15 Council is considered probably the first Christian council, where many Apostles congregated to discuss the matter brought by Paul and Barnabas. In Galatians 1, the Apostle Paul records a meeting with James in the process of Paul confirming his conversion to the other Apostles. James may have been the first elected leader within the early church. Through the writings of Eusebius in the 200s, we have the records of Clement of Alexandria from the second century that James was elected leader of the Jerusalem Church.
St James Was Martyred
Saint James the Less (Menologion of Basil II). Source: The Byzantine Life
The death of James the Just around 62 CE is recorded by Eusebius, Clement of Alexandria, and Josephus. Eusebius copied the chronicles of an earlier Christian, Hegesippus, who wrote that James was martyred by being thrown from the pinnacle of the temple in Jerusalem, and beaten with a club when the fall did not kill him.
Non-canonical Writings Attributed to Saint James
The Protoevangelium of James, James Orr. Source: Rakuten Kobo
The Gospel of James, also known as The Protoevangelium of James, is a book of unknown source that was being circulated within the second century church. Both Origen and Clement of Alexandria reference the book in their writings, so it was at least written around that time. The Gospel of James contains the first mention of the idea of the perpetual virginity of Mary, the mother of Jesus. The book was condemned by Pope Innocent I in 405, and it has generally not been accepted throughout church history as canonical due to its late writing and inconstant content.
The First and Second Apocalypse of James and the Apocryphon of James are other 2nd century books whose author claimed to be James. Each of these books were from a collection of gnostic (secret knowledge) texts found in Egypt in 1945. In addition to an authorship too late to be James, they are also part of gnostic texts written in an attempt to legitimize the early movement within Christianity.
James, the Son of Alphaeus
Two Martyr Saints in an Initial S (Alphaeus and Zacchaeus), 14th century. Source: Victoria and Albert Museum
James the son of Alphaeus, while mentioned in the listings of the apostles, has very few details known regarding his life. Outside of being listed among the apostles, and described in the Gospel of Mark as “the lesser” or “the smaller,” he is barely mentioned in the Bible. Several early Christian writings attempt to identify him with James the Just, but most try to maintain the perpetual virginity of Mary in a complex manner. It is speculated that he died as a martyr by crucifixion in Ostrakine, Egypt.
https://www.thecollector.com/who-was-saint-james-brother-of-jesus/ |
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Tema anterior
There are several forms of light, but human eyes can only see visible light. The Webb telescope can see infrared
The Webb Telescope uses a sun shield to protect itself from the sun’s light.
