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The golden secret: Why was the Webb telescope's mirror coated with metal?
In the field of space exploration in the 21st century, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) represents a new round of human exploration of the profound mysteries of the universe. Compared to its predecessor, the Hubble Space Telescope, the Webb telescope is designed to be more advanced and capable of exploring more distant galaxies, observing the universe's earliest stars, and even potentially habitable exoplanets. However, the success of the Webb telescope depends not only on advanced instrument technology, but also on the special metal coating of its mirrors to maximize its efficiency.
Why choose gold plating
The primary mirror of the Webb telescope consists of 18 hexagonal segments with an overall diameter of 6.5 meters. These mirror segments are coated with an extremely thin layer of gold. The original intention of this design is to improve their reflectivity in the infrared band. Gold's reflective properties will allow the Webb telescope to pick up faint infrared signals from distant objects that would normally be too faint due to their distance.
Metal coatings not only increase optical efficiency, but also improve the overall stability of the mirror.
Necessity of infrared observation
Unlike the Hubble telescope, which mainly observes visible light and near-ultraviolet light, the Webb telescope focuses on the near-infrared to mid-infrared light band. Observations in this band can help scientists trace the history of the universe, observe the earliest stars and galaxies, and analyze the atmospheric composition of potentially habitable planets. Gold-plated mirrors perform particularly well in this regard.
Durability of gold platingIn addition to its high reflectivity, gold's durability is also a major advantage. The Webb telescope must work in an extremely low temperature environment, so the mirror must be able to withstand long-term low temperatures and the effects of the space environment. The gold coating not only resists corrosion but also maintains its reflective properties, even after long periods of exposure and use, without rapidly degrading.
Design and production of mirrors
During the production of the Webb telescope, countless scientists and engineers devoted a lot of time to design and test. The mirror segments are first made of aluminum alloy and then gold-plated to achieve optimal optical performance. As the mirrors are assembled, each of the Webb telescope's mirror segments is carefully adjusted to ensure optimal optical alignment as the entire body of mirrors work together.
The Webb telescope, with its outstanding technical design, has opened a new "window on the universe" for us.
Vision of the scientific mission
The Webb telescope's scientific mission is not just to observe the universe; its ultimate goal is to understand its origin, evolution, and our place in it. The golden mirror will help scientists capture more data and reveal the mysteries deep in the universe. In each of the following observations, the Webb telescope will be a powerful "witness", recording the changes in the universe.
Challenges Ahead
Despite the Webb telescope's amazing capabilities, future challenges remain. With the development of new technologies, how to ensure the long-term operation of the Webb telescope and how to protect it from the impact of the space environment and micrometeorites are important issues that need to be considered. In addition, how to effectively share and apply the data obtained by the Webb telescope is also a direction that the scientific community needs to work together on.
ConclusionThe golden mirror of the Webb telescope is not only stunning in appearance, but also the crystallization of science and technology. Its design fully demonstrates mankind's passion for exploring the unknown world, and also inspires the entire scientific community's expectations for future exploration. As observations progress, will we be able to break through the boundaries of the universe and uncover more mysteries?
