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The James Webb Space Telescope has begun work 1.6 million kilometers from Earth. The observatory split the first selfie from space after testing its iconic golden mirror and infrared camera, CNN says.
Webb has been in the process of cooling and lining up mirror segments since February 2, after reaching the orbital point beyond the moon on January 24th. The WEbb was launched into space on December 25, as the most complex and powerful observer NASA has ever launched into space. Members of his team say the images are still a bit blurry, but that was to be expected.
At the moment, the telescope is still in the commissioning phase before it starts collecting data and scientific observations this summer, when stunning new images of our universe are expected to be published. Images like the ones NASA recently shared may help Webb’s team ensure that the mirrors are already perfectly positioned before the observatory observes distant exoplanets and galaxies, forever changing the way we view the universe.
The Webbit orbit will keep the telescope in line with the Earth as our planet revolves around the sun. This distance protects the telescope from the heat released by it. The spacecraft has a five-layer sun shield to protect the giant mirror and Webbit instruments from sunlight.
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