{"id":29608,"date":"2022-02-04T08:30:00","date_gmt":"2022-02-04T07:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fundacionbankinter.org\/noticias\/a-journey-to-the-origin-of-the-universe-with-the-james-webb-space-telescope\/"},"modified":"2025-12-18T11:34:24","modified_gmt":"2025-12-18T10:34:24","slug":"a-journey-to-the-origin-of-the-universe-with-the-james-webb-space-telescope","status":"publish","type":"noticias","link":"https:\/\/www.fundacionbankinter.org\/en\/news\/a-journey-to-the-origin-of-the-universe-with-the-james-webb-space-telescope\/","title":{"rendered":"A journey to the origin of the universe with the James Webb Space Telescope"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In mid-January 2022, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) opened its wings and slowly approached the L2 Lagrange point of the Sun-Earth system. There it will rest a million and a half kilometers from our planet while observing the cosmos for us. This piece of engineering, in development since 1996, constitutes another step in the space race<\/strong> and a milestone for humanity. <\/p>\n\n

What is the James Webb Space Telescope?<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n

The James Webb is the best space telescope ever designed<\/strong> and sent into outer space<\/a>. There it will replace the Hubble Space Telescope and the Spitzer Space Telescope \u2013 retired in 2020. In addition, he is the precursor of the Nancy Grace Roman. <\/p>\n\n

When we talk about the James Webb, we also talk about the power of cooperation: up to 17 countries have collaborated in its construction and it will be operated jointly by three space agencies \u2013 NASA<\/a> (USA), ESA<\/a> (Europe) and CSA<\/a> (Canada). It is clear that the concept of a space race has changed a lot<\/strong> since the United States and the USSR were itching to see who could reach the Moon first. <\/p>\n\n

Among the many objectives of the James Webb are the observation of the first galaxies<\/strong> \u2013 so distant that the light from their formation now reaches our solar system \u2013 the discovery of exoplanets and even the chemical composition of their possible atmospheres. <\/p>\n\n

A sun protection factor of one million<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n

After a month-long trip, the space telescope successfully reached the halo orbit of L2<\/strong>, a stable point located beyond the line formed by the Sun and Earth. Its sunshade, a 21-meter by 14-meter, five-layer engineering marvel, protects the 18 gold-covered beryllium mirrors and optical lenses with a sun protection factor of one million. <\/p>\n\n

Thanks to this gigantic flexible panel, the James Webb will be able to observe galaxies perpendicular to the plane of the ecliptic \u2013 the plane that the planets travel through with the exception of Pluto \u2013 without the powerful sunlight affecting the measurements<\/strong>. To this end, it has several instruments: <\/p>\n\n