The James Webb has managed to spectacularly photograph celestial bodies that until now we did not know in such detail. However, the $10 billion space satellite wasn’t just launched to give you out-of-this-world new wallpapers. In addition to studying deep space, the James Webb will have an essential task: study our Solar System, and has already begun.
That’s right, our Solar System still contains many unknowns. For this reason, NASA has decided to point the James Webb viewer at our not-so-close neighbor, Jupiter. By posting on your official Web, they show us the images they have obtained of the gas giant.
If the James Webb has been able to capture impressive images billions of light years away, just imagine what it could do in our own Solar System. Although its mission will be focused on exploring the first few hundred million years of the universe, it will also study our Solar System beyond the Asteroid Belt.
In this new image we can see Jupiter. Yes indeed, At the moment it is not about anything so spectacular like the ones from a few days ago. And it is that the captures have only been used by the James Webb engineers when calibrating their instruments. Because of this, you will not find a vivid and contrasty photograph, but rather something that reminds us of the test image taken by the JWST in deep space.
The James Webb begins to demonstrate its capabilities
But how does this demonstrate the technological advances of the James Webb? Well, it’s pretty easy for astronomers to discern. The Jovian planets usually emit a very dim light., hindering its registration in clear images by our telescopes. Now, however, the JWST demonstrates its ability to capture images of planets like Jupiter, but also their moons and rings.
This would take us to a new stage of study. For years it has been theorized that moons like Jupiter’s Europa, or Saturn’s Enceladus, could contain masses of liquid water beneath their icy surfaces. With the James Webb we could be close to detecting this essential chemical compound for life as we know it.
The telescope is capable of capturing moving objects
Lastly, we know that NASA has also managed to capture an asteroid in one of the tests of James Webb. This shows that the space telescope is also capable of photographing objects moving at high speeds. Another door that opens for researchers and scientists when studying the composition of these bodies.
The asteroid photographed is located in the Asteroid Belt which we talked about earlier. The James Webb was able to lock his sights on it, and track it twice as fast as the team behind the telescope expected.