James Webb Telescope

The James Webb Space Telescope is a space telescope designed primarily to conduct infrared astronomy. As the most powerful telescope ever launched into space, its greatly improved infrared resolution and sensitivity will allow it to view objects too old, distant, or faint for the Hubble Space Telescope.

Instruments

Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI)

The Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) is one of Webb’s four scientific instruments. MIRI provides imaging and spectroscopy capabilities in the mid-infrared. As the only mid-infrared instrument, astronomers rely on MIRI to study cooler objects like debris disks, which emit most of their light in the mid-infrared, and extremely distant galaxies whose light has been shifted into the mid-infrared over time. MIRI was developed through a collaboration between the European Consortium (EC) and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).

Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam)

The Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) is one of Webb’s four scientific instruments. NIRCam is Webb’s primary near-infrared imager, providing high-resolution imaging and spectroscopy for a wide variety of investigations. Because NIRCam is the only near-infrared instrument with coronagraphic and time-series imaging capabilities, it is crucial for many exoplanet studies. In addition to imaging and spectroscopy, NIRCam is also part of Webb’s wavefront sensing and control system, which detects and corrects for slight irregularities in the shape of the primary mirror or misalignment between mirror segments, giving the telescope the ability to focus clearly on objects near and far. NIRCam was built by a team at the University of Arizona and Lockheed Martin’s Advanced Technology Center.