After successfully aligning the observatory's 18-segmented primary mirror, the James Webb Space Telescope's essential pointing equipment performs well in testing.
This early Webb alignment image, with dots of starlight arranged in a pattern similar to the honeycomb shape of the primary mirror, is called an “image array.”
NASA James Webb Space Telescope Successfully Focused on Specific Guide Star
On Feb. 13, the Fine Guidance Sensor (FGS) of the NASA James Webb Space Telescope successfully "locked on" to a specific guide star in tracking mode.
The Canadian Space Agency, who is also involved in JWST mission, stated on Feb. 17 that FGS assisted in aligning the telescope's primary mirror's 18 hexagonal parts.
Webb developers unveiled a first image of a single star last week, which showed numerous varied perspectives from the multiple mirror parts, as predicted given that alignment is still proceeding.
René Doyon (chief investigator of the Canadian-built equipment aboard Webb) and outreach scientist Nathalie Ouellette of the Université de Montréal commented on the milestone. The two scientists talked about how FGS works and what they may expect in the following weeks.
According to Space.com, the scientists were "thrilled" that the guidance has been functioning well so far. They are looking forward to FGS continuing to help Webb's Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) point in the proper direction.
James Webb Space Telescope Image Shows Star Twinkling 18 Times
A single star observed by the James Webb Space Telescope was intentionally reproduced 18 times in hexagonal form. Those 18 pictures will eventually align exactly into a single, clear focus. The effect depicts a star repeated flawlessly in a hexagonal pattern evocative of a beautiful heavenly snowflake.
"The resulting image shows that the team has moved each of Webb's 18 primary mirror segments to bring 18 unfocused copies of a single star into a planned hexagonal formation," NASA said in a statement.
According to Matthew Lallo, systems scientist and telescopes branch manager at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which runs Webb, the star pictures are directed into this pattern "such that they have the same relative placements as the actual mirrors."
Next, the observatory will commence "segment alignment," which will correct any major positioning mistakes in the main mirror's individual segments and update the secondary mirror's alignment.
After completing segment alignment, another Space.com report mentioned the team will go on to the "picture stacking" phase. The said step combines the 18 photos into a single clear perspective.
Throughout the process, the three-phase technique, according to Lallo, would allow the team to experience "an intuitive and natural manner of visualizing improvements." "We can now literally observe the primary mirror progressively develop into its precise, desired shape," he noted as another advantage.
Webb's will focus on properly aligning the mirrors until the end of summer. The Webb mission started on Dec. 25, 2021 and it aims to study the early universe, exoplanets, and other sites of interest in the cosmos.
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