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Primary Mirror

All articles tagged with #primary mirror

space1 day ago•4 min saved

NASA's Roman Space Telescope Clears Final Mirror Check, Heads to Launch

NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center completed the final inspection of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope’s 2.4-meter primary mirror, confirming no specks, proper coating, and alignment. The ultralow-expansion glass mirror is silver-coated for near-infrared light and is exceptionally smooth; it will be shipped to Kennedy Space Center for an early-September launch, with the sunshade hood deployed and the aperture cover stowed for launch preparations.

via NASA (.gov)|

#final-inspection #launch-readiness #nancy-grace-roman-space-telescope

space-and-physics2 years ago•2 min saved

Unveiling the Mystery of 8-Spiked Stars in JWST Images

The iconic eight spikes seen in images taken by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) are a result of the telescope's architecture. The secondary mirror, held by three struts, produces diffraction spikes, with each strut creating two spikes at 90 degrees. The primary mirror, made of 18 hexagonal pieces, also contributes to the spikes. By aligning four spikes from the mirror with four spikes from the struts, a total of eight spikes appear. The shape of the mirrors, particularly the edges, produces the most prominent spikes.

via IFLScience|

#diffraction-spikes #jwst #primary-mirror

science-and-technology2 years ago•1 min saved

Final Mirror for Giant Magellan Telescope in Production

The Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) has begun the process of fabricating and polishing its seventh and final primary mirror, marking a significant milestone in astronomy. With its exceptional light-gathering capabilities, the GMT is set to revolutionize our understanding of the universe and make groundbreaking discoveries.

via Interesting Engineering|

#astronomy #giant-magellan-telescope #light-collecting-surface