James Webb Telescope's Light Path (VIDEO)
Caption
Light from objects in space is captured and reflected by the primary mirror of a telescope like Webb. The slightly curved (concave parabolic) primary mirror reflects a more focused beam of light out to the round secondary mirror. The secondary mirror is curved outward (convex hyperbolic), and it reflects an even more focused beam of light down through the center of the primary mirror. In the case of Webb, the Aft Optics Subsystem (AOS) is at the primary mirror's center. It contains the tertiary and fine-steering mirrors, which further focus and direct the light to the science instruments. The tertiary mirror also serves to minimize optical aberrations common in reflecting telescopes.
Credit
Credits: NASA, ESA, and G. Bacon (STScI)
Usage Restrictions
None
License
Licensed content