August 5, 2022 8-10PM

Event Type: Lecture and Stargazing
Title: What is the James Webb Space Telescope?
Lecturer: Tony Rodriguez
Position:PhD Candidate
Institution: Caltech
Abstract:
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is the newest, largest optical telescope in space, taking revolutionary images of astronomical targets, but why is it special, and is it living up to expectations? Why are some images blurry, while others feature 6-pointed stars? Do the colors mean anything or are they photoshopped? Why does it need a sunshield? Will this thing finally help us find aliens? I will address these questions and more as I describe the inner workings of the telescope, some of its new results, and how it promises to revolutionize astronomy like the Hubble Space Telescope has. I'll discuss the hottest science topics that JWST promises to deliver on as well as those that haven’t made headlines.