James Webb Space Telescope!

Environmental & Science Education, STEM, Astrophysics, Nature of Science, Astronomy, Cosmology, Earth & Space Science 

I was really pleased when I heard the news on Christmas Day that the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) --the mirror is more than 5 times larger than Hubble's--launch was a success. Check-off step one. Relief.

A day later, December 26, Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) posted a picture of JWST over Earth. It dazzles like a jewel and in the next month will be pushed to its gravitational necklace which dangles around the sun and us, Earth.  The explainer explains and concludes with an"If all goes well..." sentence reminding us that there are other things that must go well. 

How I hope for the success of these events and as I sit here, I think of the variety of talents that made this possible...the human propensity toward exploration and understanding. Humans can do mind-boggling feats and "if all goes well," we will learn much more about our deep origins and this will add to the pleasure of being human...of being able to know with a considerable degree of confidence.