Photons Received: Webb Sees Its First Star – 18 Times

The James Webb Space Telescope is nearing completion of the first phase of the months-long process of aligning the observatory’s primary mirror using the Near Infrared Camera (NIRCam) instrument.

The team's challenge was twofold: confirm that NIRCam was ready to collect light from celestial objects, and then identify starlight from the same star in each of the 18 primary mirror segments. The result is an image mosaic of 18 randomly organized dots of starlight, the product of Webb's unaligned mirror segments all reflecting light from the same star back at Webb's secondary mirror and into NIRCam's detectors.

What looks like a simple image of blurry starlight now becomes the foundation to align and focus the telescope in order for Webb to deliver unprecedented views of the universe this summer. Over the next month or so, the team will gradually adjust the mirror segments until the 18 images become a single star.

Music credit: Universal Production Music -Transitions Instrumental by Cotton Niblett

Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

Michael McClare (KBRwyle): Lead Producer
Adriana Manrique Gutierrez (KBRwyle): Lead Animator
Jonathan North (KBRwyle): Animator
Michael McClare (KBRwyle): Lead Writer
Michael McClare (KBRwyle): Lead Videographer
Michael McClare (KBRwyle): Lead Editor
Michael McClare (KBRwyle): Lead Motion Graphics

[GraveUypo]

pretty damn cool how they're doing these for us so we can feel more involved than we ever could before. this is the coolest time to be into astronomy.

[vdiitd]

This is just amazing. I am so glad that we are getting these kinds of updates about JWST.

[JoshLin]

I read this as “weeb sees star for the first time” and I didn’t question it

[greeber]

That picture of the primary mirror is insane. They were able to get an actual image of the primary mirror as it is, unfolded, in space. Amazing

[RME]

Excellent, lucid explanation on how the individual mirrors' reflection will be arranged, focused and then aligned. Thank you for the graphics and narrative that made that crystal clear!

[eyal.herlin]

Excellent and clear presentation. Thank you! Also, great to see how happy and dedicated the team is.

[monomoo]

So ecstatic that this has all been going smoothly, thank you so much everyone involved!!!

[Supernaut]

I love hearing updates on the JWST. So happy it is working out for them, all those years, all those people, all that money, all well spent. I can't wait to see images once the 18 mirrors are all aligned! Well done team!!

[AquascapingCube]

Great time to be alive! :D Waiting for more, nothing but respect for all of you doing those amazing things!

[Mondo_Monchi]

Note to the editors of this video, please record the audio in mono next time, as a headphone user having him talk in only my left ear was distracting 🤣 Fantastic explanation else-wise & updates like these keep me hyped for the first images we'll get to see from this wonderfully crafted instrument 😁

[okosakaroklenni]

I couldn't hear most of the explanation because the "background" music was too loud :(

[cutebabyseal]

Please keep updates like this coming! I would even love to learn more of the technical details during videos like these.

[rob_ah_]

What a magnificent time to be alive. Well done all of you, and thank you!

[Neo-poxw]

This is history. Imagine after 20 years of service just like hubble telescope, it will give super nice images of far distant galaxies, supernovas and much more.

[AibohphobiA_]

Congratulations !
That “selfie” pic is just unreal. . .
Keep up the stellar work team !

[Trex]

JWST is doing perfectly, thanks to all of you scientists, engineers and related personnel behind this marvel of human ingenuity. My deepest recognition to this work of excellence!

[robinkirby]

Turn the music down, or off completely, I can't hear what they are saying

[alexanderalvarado]

This video literally moved me to tears. We trivialize how beautiful the universe is and blow so much smoke over stuff that doesn't even matter. Humbling.

[kenhaley]

After all the negative speculation about how JWST would fail, it's so exciting to see such close-to-perfect success after success. Congratulations to the entire team that made this happen. And what an exciting process to watch unfold!

[robot_spider]

No hype. No dumbing it down for the least common denominator. Just a clear presentation of where they are in the process. So excited to see what's next for JWST.