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James Webb Space Telescope


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You ain't seen nothin' yet!  This critter can also be focused on some of the planets in our solar system, beyond Earth's orbit. (It can't look toward the sun or it would burn out the camera.  But the scientists are probably going to image Uranus and Neptune especially in the infrared spectrum, which may give us better understanding of these ice giants.  And maybe some of the moons of Jupiter and Saturn.  Gonna  be interesting, for sure!

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When I was a kid I thought there were a few million stars in the galaxy. Maybe a few dozen galaxies. 

Now we know there are a hundred billion stars in our galaxy.  100 billion galaxies.

I'm not sure what general knowledge was back in those days. Mine has sure changed.

"The universe is not only stranger than we imagine- it is stranger than we CAN imagine"!

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2 hours ago, Texas Lizard said:

Think of how long that light has traveled to get to us to see...Didn't even have time to stop for a cold beer...

 

Texas Lizard

What were seeing is about 4.5 billion years old!

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This is the part I don't understand.

 

If some of these pictures are solar systems approx 10,000 'LIGHT YEARS away, then how are we able to view them in only a couple

of years of viewing into outer space.

 

Wouldn't it take 10,000 light years to see it?

 

And, if what we are seeing is actually a few LIGHT YEARS away, how do we know those things actually still exist?

 

In other words, if what is being seen is 'stuff' that sent out light a few light years ago, how do we know its still there?

 

..........Widder

 

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Think of what it costs to see something that is likely gone.;)

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28 minutes ago, Widder, SASS #59054 said:

This is the part I don't understand.

 

If some of these pictures are solar systems approx 10,000 'LIGHT YEARS away, then how are we able to view them in only a couple

of years of viewing into outer space.

 

Wouldn't it take 10,000 light years to see it?

 

And, if what we are seeing is actually a few LIGHT YEARS away, how do we know those things actually still exist?

 

In other words, if what is being seen is 'stuff' that sent out light a few light years ago, how do we know its still there?

 

..........Widder

 

 

I feel sorry for the aliens on planets that are 200 million light years from us. There they are, looking through their telescopes at Earth thinking "What a bunch of primitive lizards, lots of teeth and no arms.";)

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46 minutes ago, Cypress Sun said:

 

I feel sorry for the aliens on planets that are 200 million light years from us. There they are, looking through their telescopes at Earth thinking "What a bunch of primitive lizards, lots of teeth and no arms.";)

 

Exactly.   Whatever we see or find may already be extinct.

 

..........Widder

 

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2 hours ago, Widder, SASS #59054 said:

This is the part I don't understand.

 

If some of these pictures are solar systems approx 10,000 'LIGHT YEARS away, then how are we able to view them in only a couple

of years of viewing into outer space.

 

Wouldn't it take 10,000 light years to see it?

 

And, if what we are seeing is actually a few LIGHT YEARS away, how do we know those things actually still exist?

 

In other words, if what is being seen is 'stuff' that sent out light a few light years ago, how do we know its still there?

 

..........Widder

 

 

We don't. 

 

 

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36 minutes ago, Sedalia Dave said:

 

We don't. 

 

 

Exactly! There are stars we see with the naked eye that may not be there and were just seeing their light now. I learned that in high school science class!

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13 hours ago, Rye Miles #13621 said:

What were seeing is about 4.5 billion years old!

Actually it’s more like 13 billion according to NASA. 4.5 billion is the supposed age of our earth .

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51 minutes ago, Rye Miles #13621 said:

Actually it’s more like 13 billion according to NASA. 4.5 billion is the supposed age of our earth .

 

Do they (NASA or anybody) really know?    I mean, can they be a little off, like maybe 2-3 billion years?

 

What is considered a 'Light Year'?

1. Is it 1 earthly year

2. Is it 1 year traveling at the speed of light?

 

..........Widder

 

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2 minutes ago, Widder, SASS #59054 said:

 

Do they (NASA or anybody) really know?    I mean, can they be a little off, like maybe 2-3 billion years?

 

What is considered a 'Light Year'?

1. Is it 1 earthly year

2. Is it 1 year traveling at the speed of light?

 

..........Widder

 

 

One year traveling at the speed of light, 186,000 miles per second

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12 hours ago, Cypress Sun said:

 

I feel sorry for the aliens on planets that are 200 million light years from us. There they are, looking through their telescopes at Earth thinking "What a bunch of primitive lizards, lots of teeth and no arms.";)

Snip-it_1657623463402.jpg.b7e60a7dd17ecc40a730ea2ffeff11f2.jpg

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23 minutes ago, Widder, SASS #59054 said:

 

Do they (NASA or anybody) really know?    I mean, can they be a little off, like maybe 2-3 billion years?

 

What is considered a 'Light Year'?

1. Is it 1 earthly year

2. Is it 1 year traveling at the speed of light?

 

..........Widder

 

Yes of course it's an estimate and they could be off by 2-3 billion years but that doesn't make it any less mind boggling!

Light year= time it takes traveling at the speed of light 186,000 MPS

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12 hours ago, Eyesa Horg said:

Think of what it costs to see something that is likely gone.;)

Snip-it_1657713349420.jpg.479bec06248e43ddda9909ab422df3b0.jpg

        I swear it was just there!

The many mysteries of Life. :P

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13 hours ago, Eyesa Horg said:

Think of what it costs to see something that is likely gone.;)

 

I'd rather the government spend money on things like the James Webb Telescope than giving money/material/weapons away to countries that gladly accept the giveaways but hate America's guts.

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1 hour ago, Widder, SASS #59054 said:

 

Do they (NASA or anybody) really know?    I mean, can they be a little off, like maybe 2-3 billion years?

 

What is considered a 'Light Year'?

1. Is it 1 earthly year

2. Is it 1 year traveling at the speed of light?

 

..........Widder

 

A light year is simply a measurement of distance. It is how far light (or anything) travels at 186,000 miles per second over the period of a year. It’s used because the actual distance number of 5.879x10 to the 12th power is a bit of a mouthful to anybody but a mathematician. German astronomer Friedrich Bessel is responsible for coming up with it in 1838. 
And it has confused people ever since. ;)

They should have come up with a better term like Whopper or something.

Alpha Centauri is 4.367 Whoppers from earth.

Rolls off the tongue doesn’t it? 

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15 minutes ago, Utah Bob #35998 said:

A light year is simply a measurement of distance. It is how far light (or anything) travels at 186,000 miles per second over the period of a year. It’s used because the actual distance number of 5.879x10 to the 12th power is a bit of a mouthful to anybody but a mathematician. German astronomer Friedrich Bessel is responsible for coming up with it in 1838. 
And it has confused people ever since. ;)

They should have come up with a better term like Whopper or something.

Alpha Centauri is 4.367 Whoppers from earth.

Rolls off the tongue doesn’t it? 

I like it!B)

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2 hours ago, Utah Bob #35998 said:

A light year is simply a measurement of distance. It is how far light (or anything) travels at 186,000 miles per second over the period of a year. It’s used because the actual distance number of 5.879x10 to the 12th power is a bit of a mouthful to anybody but a mathematician. German astronomer Friedrich Bessel is responsible for coming up with it in 1838. 
And it has confused people ever since. ;)

They should have come up with a better term like Whopper or something.

Alpha Centauri is 4.367 Whoppers from earth.

Rolls off the tongue doesn’t it? 

 

Are closer galaxies Whopper Jrs?B):D

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18 hours ago, Birdgun Quail, SASS #63663 said:

Amazing images.  Wonder what new wonders they'll discover?

 

MD1TPe.jpg

 

He was looking for this place.

Heard about the donuts and coffee.

SASS June 2021 Canada First On Mars Proof.jpg

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On 7/12/2022 at 3:58 PM, Widder, SASS #59054 said:

This is the part I don't understand.

 

If some of these pictures are solar systems approx 10,000 'LIGHT YEARS away, then how are we able to view them in only a couple

of years of viewing into outer space.

 

Wouldn't it take 10,000 light years to see it?

 

And, if what we are seeing is actually a few LIGHT YEARS away, how do we know those things actually still exist?

 

In other words, if what is being seen is 'stuff' that sent out light a few light years ago, how do we know its still there?

 

..........Widder

 

the light waves  have already been in transit for billions of years when the Webb telescope intercepts them in their last million miles before reaching Earth.  

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NASA has for many years published the APOD (Astronomy Picture of the Day) on their website.  There are hundreds of stunning images there, similar to those shown here, but mostly taken by the Hubble or from Earth.  The Webb is going to obsolete much of that. 

 

About a Mile from my mountain ranch property is a privately owned astronomy remote telemetry site.  Two MDs with astronomy interest started it as a business twenty years ago.  It has grown, through NASA and other institutional contracts, into a huge facility and business with more than two hundred advanced observation and listening instruments, provided by many different worldwide agencies and universities.  You can subscribe to 

time on a 20" or even 24" infrared or x-ray telescope and remotely guide the instrument from your home computer, from across the globe, watching it on your monitor or big screen.  But the subscription prices will curl most mortal peoples' toenails, if you can even get a place in line.  

 

Take a look at Sierra-remote.com. 

Here are just two of their many buildings.

image.thumb.png.bd7eec90f63b9faf7a8de136bec8b02e.png

 

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