History and Future of Telescopes: From Hubble to Webb

Hans Lippershey

First inventor of the telescope, patented in 1608.

Refracting Telescope

Uses lenses to bend light for magnification.

Galileo Galilei

First to use telescope for astronomy in 1609.

Keplerian Telescope

Features convex lenses for improved magnification.

Johannes Kepler

Developed Keplerian telescope design in 1611.

Isaac Newton

Built first usable reflecting telescope in 1668.

Reflecting Telescope

Uses mirrors to gather and focus light.

Chromatic Aberration

Distortion from lens failing to focus all colors.

Achromatic Lens

Reduces chromatic aberration using multiple glass types.

Hubble Space Telescope

Launched in 1990, orbits Earth at 380 miles.

James Webb Space Telescope

Space-based observatory optimized for infrared wavelengths.

Infrared Wavelengths

Longer wavelengths allowing deeper space observation.

Lyman Spitzer

Introduced concept of space observatories in the 1940s.

NASA and ESA

Collaborated to design Hubble Space Telescope.

Mission Lifetime

Webb aims for over 10 years operational life.

L2 Point

Webb's operational location, 1.5 million km from Earth.

Primary Mirror Size

Webb's mirror is 6.5 meters in diameter.

Sunshade Size

Webb's sunshade is roughly tennis court-sized.

Communication System

Uses high frequency radio for data transmission.

Deep Space Network

Receives signals from Webb for data processing.

Cooling Requirement

Webb operates below 50 Kelvin for infrared observations.

Servicing Challenges

Webb is too far for current servicing missions.

Mass of Webb

Approximately 6,500 kg, half of Hubble's mass.

Light Collecting Area

Webb has 7 times Hubble's light-gathering capacity.

Astronomical Observations

Focus on faint, distant objects in infrared.

Commissioning Period

Lasts 6 months post-launch for system checks.

First Galaxies

Webb aims to observe early universe galaxy formation.

Dust Clouds

Webb studies star and planet formation in dust.