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Ariana Baio
Jul 08, 2022
'Mystery rocket' creates crater on Moon, leaves Nasa scientists baffled
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NASA has released a teaser image from their James Webb Space Telescope showing what deep space may look like.
Next week, the organisation will release the first images from the $10 billion observatory which will show cosmos, galaxies, and beyond.
To tease the highly anticipated photos, scientists from Webb shared a composite photo "among the deepest images of the universe ever taken" using technology developed by the Canadian Space Agency.
The technology used to help capture a fixed image of deep space is called Webb's Fine Guidance Sensor (FGS) which uses precise positioning to intake data from deep space.
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Compositing 72 exposures over 32 hours, the image shows what other galaxies and stars look like millions of light years away, beyond what humans could reach themselves.
"FGS has always been capable of capturing imagery, but its primary purpose is to enable accurate science measurements and imaging with precision pointing," a statement in the press release says.
\u201cWe\u2019re less than a week away from @NASAWebb's first full-color images!\n\nWebb's Fine Guidance Sensor, built by @CSA_ASC to help it lock onto targets, recently captured this stunning test image \u2014 an unexpected peek into how Webb will #UnfoldTheUniverse: https://t.co/cYrVVxA8sl\u201d— NASA (@NASA) 1657139312
While the image is an incredible image of what deep space looks like, it is not considered a scientific image of space as it has some "rough-around-the-edges qualities to it".
"Bright stars stand out with their six, long, sharply defined diffraction spikes – an effect due to Webb's six-sided mirror segments," the press release reads. "Beyond the stars – galaxies fill nearly the entire background."
The six-sided telescope is the largest and most powerful telescope in the world according to NASA.
First launched in December 2021, Webb's purpose is to uncover the secrets of the universe since the first galaxies formed. The telescope is expected to orbit millions of miles away from Earth at the L2 point for five to 10 years.
The photo alone shows how powerful the Webb telescope is and already gives space enthusiasts an idea of what the telescope is capable of capturing.
The official images will be released on July 12th which can be viewed on their official website.
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