James Webb Space Telescope And The Search For Our Distant Past

[K-9]

3 minutes ago, 4merper4mer said:

Although I agree that really doesn’t matter.  The news reports about Webb, after an initial grace period, will all be alien false starts.  You’ll have to dig for the actual science and the false alien crapola will be endless.

I believe the exact opposite will be the case; you’ll have to dig for the false alien crapola in the piles of all the actual science that will be amassed. Nobody is expecting alien life to be discovered by the Webb telescope. I think the science community accepts that the odds are stacked against it, anyway. There is more empty space in the universe than there is anything else that’s in it, after all.

[4merper4mer]

36 minutes ago, K-9 said:

I believe the exact opposite will be the case; you’ll have to dig for the false alien crapola in the piles of all the actual science that will be amassed. Nobody is expecting alien life to be discovered by the Webb telescope. I think the science community accepts that the odds are stacked against it, anyway. There is more empty space in the universe than there is anything else that’s in it, after all.

Lol.  Go to Google right now and type in James Webb.  Then do the same thing adding the word aliens.  Every time Webb discovers something that can’t be immediately explained……and this should happen a lot……there will be articles speculating about aliens.  Think “fast radio bursts on steroids”.

[Bad Things]

19 hours ago, 4merper4mer said:

Then the countless years of being seen as a failure because despite many inevitable amazing scientific discoveries, it will discover zero evidence of intelligent aliens.  Because there are none.

FFS.

 

You've already ruined a fun, long-running thread on this board because of your persistent obsession, that there is no other life in the universe.

Now you're going to drag this thread down the same path?

 

Listen.  Just know that you're the only one bringing alien life into the conversation. 

Please don't derail this thread.  I'm very interested in hearing about the telescopes new-found discoveries, without having to read through your trolling.

[4merper4mer]

18 minutes ago, Bad Things said:

FFS.

 

You've already ruined a fun, long-running thread on this board because of your persistent obsession, that there is no other life in the universe.

Now you're going to drag this thread down the same path?

 

Listen.  Just know that you're the only one bringing alien life into the conversation. 

Please don't derail this thread.  I'm very interested in hearing about the telescopes new-found discoveries, without having to read through your trolling.

Watch and learn.  I share your wish that the news about Webb is scientific.

[K-9]

1 hour ago, 4merper4mer said:

Lol.  Go to Google right now and type in James Webb.  Then do the same thing adding the word aliens.  Every time Webb discovers something that can’t be immediately explained……and this should happen a lot……there will be articles speculating about aliens.  Think “fast radio bursts on steroids”.

Googling “James Webb” and “aliens” won’t inform me at all about its mission. You seem to be conflating the scientific goals of the mission with the media sensationalism that it may generate as a result. We can choose to take that bait or not. I suspect the scientists involved won’t. 

[K-9]

31 minutes ago, 4merper4mer said:

Watch and learn.  I share your wish that the news about Webb is scientific.

News about Webb being scientific or the editorializing of that scientific news? Because I don’t think NASA and the hundreds of other scientists worldwide that will be interpreting data will be creating news about “aliens” since that’s not what they’re interested in.
 

I agree with @Bad Things, let’s confine this thread to Webb specific science and use the UFO/Aliens thread for any discussion pertaining to that subject. 

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

20 hours ago, 4merper4mer said:

Then the countless years of being seen as a failure because despite many inevitable amazing scientific discoveries, it will discover zero evidence of intelligent aliens.  Because there are none.

 

intelligent life 

 

or 

 

inhabitable planets 🌏  🪐 

[ehfeuh57]

2 hours ago, K-9 said:

Nobody is expecting alien life to be discovered by the Webb telescope. I think the science community accepts that the odds are stacked against it, anyway.

 

There are many and I mean scientist's who think it can

 

https://www.newsweek.com/james-webb-space-telescope-tremendous-impact-search-alien-life-1662887

 

 

[K-9]

30 minutes ago, DrDare said:

 

There are many and I mean scientist's who think it can

 

https://www.newsweek.com/james-webb-space-telescope-tremendous-impact-search-alien-life-1662887

 

 

As I’ve said, discovery of alien life would be a nice to have, but searching for it is just not the core mission of the telescope. It stands to reason that being able to see things about planets, etc. that we haven’t been able to previously would have a huge impact on our knowledge of a number of things, including the existence of or the conditions for alien life. 

[Warcodered]

1 hour ago, K-9 said:

As I’ve said, discovery of alien life would be a nice to have, but searching for it is just not the core mission of the telescope. It stands to reason that being able to see things about planets, etc. that we haven’t been able to previously would have a huge impact on our knowledge of a number of things, including the existence of or the conditions for alien life. 

Yeah I'd guess unless something incredible just slaps them in the face they may be more focused on the beginning of time/the universe.

Edited December 31, 2021 by Warcodered

[4merper4mer]

3 hours ago, DrDare said:

 

There are many and I mean scientist's who think it can

 

https://www.newsweek.com/james-webb-space-telescope-tremendous-impact-search-alien-life-1662887

 

 

Exhibit A

[Warcodered]

26 minutes ago, 4merper4mer said:

Exhibit A

You are literally the first person to talk about aliens in this topic.

[K-9]

34 minutes ago, 4merper4mer said:

Exhibit A

From the last paragraph of that article:
 

Quote

Harold Connolly Jr., a professor at Rowan University in New Jersey who is currently involved with two asteroid sample return missions—NASA's OSIRIS-Rex and the Japanese Space Agency's (JAXA) Hayabusa2—told Newsweek: "In my thinking, we will never be able to prove definitively through the data collected by JWST that a specific planetary body contains life.“

 

Edited December 31, 2021 by K-9

[Augie]

7 hours ago, K-9 said:

I believe the exact opposite will be the case; you’ll have to dig for the false alien crapola in the piles of all the actual science that will be amassed. Nobody is expecting alien life to be discovered by the Webb telescope. I think the science community accepts that the odds are stacked against it, anyway. There is more empty space in the universe than there is anything else that’s in it, after all.

 

I use this theory related to golf and trees, and somehow I am almost always wrong!  🤷‍♂️

 

You’d think I would learn. No worries, I take a LOT of balls. 

[K-9]

17 minutes ago, Augie said:

 

I use this theory related to golf and trees, and somehow I am almost always wrong!  🤷‍♂️

 

You’d think I would learn. No worries, I take a LOT of balls. 

I hear that! The universe is 90% air!😂

[aristocrat]

We’re sending out signals letting everyone know we’re here. What if the aliens are hiding cause they know what’s out there?  Then they kill us to stay hidden?

[Just Jack]

3 hours ago, aristocrat said:

We’re sending out signals letting everyone know we’re here. What if the aliens are hiding cause they know what’s out there?  Then they kill us to stay hidden?

 

Or, they like us based on what signals they've received....

 

 

 

[TwistofFate]

https://media.tenor.com/images/7d508b70f79c4b88d791a8153f3a141f/tenor.gif

[K-9]

There’s a nice, long running UFO/Aliens thread to discuss that stuff. Webb has nothing to do with that. 

[sherpa]

Two big days today and tomorrow as the sun shield is deployed.

 

[LeGOATski]

On 12/29/2021 at 7:46 PM, 4merper4mer said:

Then the countless years of being seen as a failure because despite many inevitable amazing scientific discoveries, it will discover zero evidence of intelligent aliens.  Because there are none.

You have a weird obsession with the idea of finding alien life. I suggest you temper your expectations.

[sherpa]

Good day for Webb.

Heat shield deployed properly, though some angst during the process as the sensors that indicated that its' cover had properly retracted and been stowed did not report a successful retraction.

Fortunately, other indicators and temp readings along the shield indicated it was properly positioned.

Now to separate and extend the five layers of shield and properly tension them.

Then onto the beginning of the optics positioning.

[Draconator]

[TBBills]

I cannot to wait and see what it gives us.

[Tiberius]

On 1/1/2022 at 8:25 AM, sherpa said:

Good day for Webb.

Heat shield deployed properly, though some angst during the process as the sensors that indicated that its' cover had properly retracted and been stowed did not report a successful retraction.

Fortunately, other indicators and temp readings along the shield indicated it was properly positioned.

Now to separate and extend the five layers of shield and properly tension them.

Then onto the beginning of the optics positioning.

Wow, must be a hectic and nerve wracking time for those in charge of getting it up and running 

[Tiberius]

Quote

 

So far, so good. The US space agency says the post-launch set-up of the new James Webb telescope has gone very well.

"As smoothly as we could have hoped for."

Engineering teams are in the middle of unpacking the observatory from its folded launch configuration to the layout needed for operations.

This involves the deployment of several structures, the most critical of which are Webb's mirrors and sun shield.

Monday saw the start of what is probably the most complex set of activities - the separation and tensioning of the five individual layers that make up the shield.

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-59863092

 That link has a video of it separating from the space craft 

[coloradobillsfan]

Tensioning of the solar shield was just completed.  There were cheers all around the command center.  

Still lots more to come, but a big step is complete 

[The Poojer]

"The expectation is that it will even catch the light from the pioneer stars that were first to ignite shortly after the Big Bang more than 13.5 billion years ago."

 

 

[4merper4mer]

Are you guys aware that there were a lot of Canadians involved with this thing?  That can’t be good.

 

I watched a video on the project that I’m not allowed to post here because it prominently mentions a goal of the project being something that I’ve been told in this very thread is not part on the mission.  I’m staying away from that topic but the Canadian thing makes me worried.  Who knows though, space is almost as cold as Canada so maybe they brought something to the table.

[WhoTom]

51 minutes ago, 4merper4mer said:

Are you guys aware that there were a lot of Canadians involved with this thing?  That can’t be good.

 

Canadian engineers designed and built the Shuttle Remote Manipulator System. That seemed to work okay.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadarm

 

[K-9]

1 minute ago, WhoTom said:

 

Canadian engineers designed and built the Shuttle Remote Manipulator System. That seemed to work okay.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadarm

 

Canada also gave us one of the coolest astronauts of all time: Chris Hadfield. I mean how cool is it to play the guitar and perform ‘Space Oddity’ while orbiting the earth at 17k miles per hour on the ISS? 

[Bad Things]

1 hour ago, 4merper4mer said:

Are you guys aware that there were a lot of Canadians involved with this thing?  That can’t be good.

 

I watched a video on the project that I’m not allowed to post here because it prominently mentions a goal of the project being something that I’ve been told in this very thread is not part on the mission.  I’m staying away from that topic but the Canadian thing makes me worried.  Who knows though, space is almost as cold as Canada so maybe they brought something to the table.

Yeah, this project has involved the US and 13 other countries. (Canada and the European Space agency.)

[Just Jack]

9 hours ago, 4merper4mer said:

Are you guys aware that there were a lot of Canadians involved with this thing?  That can’t be good.

 

I watched a video on the project that I’m not allowed to post here because it prominently mentions a goal of the project being something that I’ve been told in this very thread is not part on the mission.  I’m staying away from that topic but the Canadian thing makes me worried.  Who knows though, space is almost as cold as Canada so maybe they brought something to the table.

 

The answer is simple, they designed a jacket like the Canada Goose jackets you see all Canadians wearing for the telescope. 

 

 

Edited January 7, 2022 by Just Jack

[Warcodered]

8 hours ago, K-9 said:

Canada also gave us one of the coolest astronauts of all time: Chris Hadfield. I mean how cool is it to play the guitar and perform ‘Space Oddity’ while orbiting the earth at 17k miles per hour on the ISS? 

Also they have pretty nice bacon.

[4merper4mer]

22 hours ago, Warcodered said:

Also they have pretty nice bacon.

It’s friggin ham.

[Bad Things]

Today was a very successful day as the Webb Space Telescope completed its deployment phase of the mission.

 

I can't wait to see what this thing is going to show us.

 

Quote

Astronomers and space fans around the world can breathe a sigh of relief: The James Webb Space Telescope is now fully deployed.

The $10 billion NASA observatory unfolded the second "wing" of its massive primary mirror today (Jan. 8), bringing the light-collecting structure up to its full size and marking the end of the mission's long, risky and ultra-complex deployment phase. 

 

https://www.space.com/james-webb-space-telescope-fully-deployed

[K-9]

3 minutes ago, Bad Things said:

Today was a very successful day as the Webb Space Telescope completed its deployment phase of the mission.

 

I can't wait to see what this thing is going to show us.

 

 

https://www.space.com/james-webb-space-telescope-fully-deployed

344 single points of failure, any one of which would have scuttled the entire project if any one of them did. 
 

Amazing. I’m proud of our species. 

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

 

https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-s-webb-telescope-reaches-major-milestone-as-mirror-unfolds
 

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope team fully deployed its 21-foot, gold-coated primary mirror, successfully completing the final stage of all major spacecraft deployments to prepare for science operations.
 

[Tiberius]

On 1/9/2022 at 2:15 AM, Bad Things said:

Today was a very successful day as the Webb Space Telescope completed its deployment phase of the mission.

 

I can't wait to see what this thing is going to show us.

 

 

https://www.space.com/james-webb-space-telescope-fully-deployed

Have to say this is a relief! Was not even thinking of the real scientific mission yet, just relieved it deployed. After the Hubble's problems and some other space craft having issues, this is a serious accomplishment 

[WhoTom]

Quote

January 10, 2021

Everyone,

 

In the mid-1990s an AURA/NASA 'HST & Beyond' Committee was convened. I was a member. Our charge: "to produce a new consensus vision of the long term goals of [space astronomy]."

 

One of the top recommendations in our report (https://bit.ly/3tabhTN) was a large infrared space telescope that would search for Earth-like planets & visit a time when galaxies & stars were young.

 

Two days ago and 25 years after the publication of our report, that scope finally fully opened its eyes. The last segment of its mirror was extended and successfully latched into place, marking the end of the deployment phase of the James Webb Space Telescope.

 

It was a ground-breaking day and a moment when the many years of hard work, on the part of the people who made this happen, seemed to them, I'm sure, no sacrifice at all. I know. I've been there.

JWST is now on its way to its final position at L2 and to fulfilling the dreams the astronomical community laid down a quarter of a century ago. The adventure has begun.

Often committee work is a waste of time. How sweet to know that, in this case, our work of long ago will soon yield gold. Stay tuned!

 

Best to all of you!

Carolyn Porco

 

Dr. Porco has been with NASA since the Voyager missions. She's been featured on a ton of astronomy documentaries and shows, and has co-authored more than 125 scientific papers. https://www.facebook.com/carolynporco

 

Edited January 11, 2022 by WhoTom