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News Articles: astrophysics

This image of a star was taken as part of the evaluation process as the James Webb Space Telescope's mirror segments were carefully aligned.

The James Webb Space Telescope is working as well as astronomers dreamed it would

Picture perfect: Mission managers say the telescope's mirror segments have been aligned and have focused on single stars, a critical milestone, and the telescope is working flawlessly.

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By:
  • Nell Greenfieldboyce
The James Webb Space Telescope's primary mirror is made up of 18 hexagonal segments. Now that the telescope is in space, mission managers need to perfectly align them so the segments work as one giant mirror.

The first images from NASA's new space telescope show how it's coming into focus

The James Webb Space Telescope has seen its first starlight, but its 18 mirror segments aren't yet perfectly aligned. As a result, the pictures it's sending back now aren't exactly cosmic eye candy.

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By:
  • Nell Greenfieldboyce
Technicians work on NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, which will launch in December. Astronomers say the next big telescope should be designed to search signs of life on planets that orbit distant stars.

Astronomers want NASA to build a giant space telescope to peer at alien Earths

NASA should work toward a new space telescope that could view small planets around distant stars with the potential to host life, expert panel says

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By:
  • Nell Greenfieldboyce
The northern lights (aurora borealis) illuminate the sky over Reinfjorden in Reine, on Lofoten Islands in the Arctic Circle in 2017.

What Causes The Northern Lights? Scientists Finally Know For Sure

An article suggests the natural light show starts when disturbances on the sun pull on Earth's magnetic field, creating cosmic waves that launch electrons into the atmosphere to form the aurora.

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By:
  • Joe Hernandez