Topic: Originals

Black objects absorb heat. But Webb’s radiator, designed to keep the science instruments cold, is black. Why? Find out on this episode of Elements of Webb.

The James Webb Space Telescope is three stories tall, as wide as a tennis court. It’s got a 21-foot primary mirror and then it’s got these 4 instruments that are […]

Helium is the element with the lowest boiling point. Find out how the James Webb Space Telescope uses this special element to stay cool in the latest episode of Elements […]

The Webb Telescope has a tennis court size sunshield made out of a thin material called Kapton. It shields the exposed mirrors and science instruments from the light and heat […]

Silicon is the go-to chip and sensor material for a reason – it works. Learn about the semi-conductor properties that make this element the right choice for the Webb Telescope.

The Webb Telescope is full of precise optical components, some of which include lenses made out of salt. Why? Find out why our infrared telescope requires this unexpected lens in […]

Where Does Gold Come From? The Webb’s Telescope’s dazzling mirrors have a microscopic layer of gold and it isn’t for aesthetic reasons. Different wavelengths of light are best reflected with […]