Telescope Alignment Evaluation Image

Environmental & Science Education, STEM, Astronomy, Cosmology

Ed Hessler

The image on Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) is of 2MASSJ17554042+6551277, a designation, as APOD notes that "doesn't exactly roll off the tongue but that's the name, a coordinate-based catalog designation, of the star, centered in this sharp field of view."

However it is sharp and spiky as we imagine stars when we look up or draw one.

This image was "created by the 18 hexagonal mirror segments of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) in the alignment of the mirrors. APOD includes an explanation, including the galaxies in the background. And some of them are in the far background.