NASA has completed a step of the machines of the machine and believes that its optical performance could be better than what was expected.
Le Monde Science and Medicine
The James-Web telescope continues without clutter the adjustment steps that should allow it to deliver, in the summer, its first scientific observations. NASA has published, on March 16, an image that testifies to the success of the end alignment phase of its nearest infrared camera, with the 18 beryllium hex plates which constitute its primary mirror. A few weeks ago, when the machine was pointing to a star, the captured image showed 18 indistinct points. This time, the cylinders to orient each reflective surface made it possible to converge the light of the star 2Mass J17554042 + 6551277 so that it gives one and the same image, much more precise – we also guess galaxies. NASA believes that performances exceed the specifications. The other imagers will benefit from the same optical alignment procedures, before two months of preparation of the instruments that will lead the infrared eye of the telescope to start its scientific harvest.