This is the other reason that Webb is not a replacement for Hubble; its capabilities are not identical. Webb will primarily look at the Universe in the infrared, while Hubble studies it primarily at optical and ultraviolet wavelengths (though it has some infrared capability).
The Near Infrared Camera (NIRCam) is Webb's primary imager that will cover the infrared wavelength range 0.6 to 5 microns. NIRCam will detect light from: the earliest stars and galaxies in the process of formation, the population of stars in nearby galaxies, as well as young stars in the Milky Way and Kuiper Belt objects. NIRCam is equipped with coronagraphs, instruments that allow astronomers to take pictures of very faint objects around a central bright object, like stellar systems.
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The Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) has both a camera and a spectrograph that sees light in the mid-infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum, with wavelengths that are longer than our eyes see.
MIRI covers the wavelength range of 5 to 28 microns. Its sensitive detectors will allow it to see the redshifted light of distant galaxies, newly forming stars, and faintly visible comets as well as objects in the Kuiper Belt. MIRI's camera will provide wide-field, broadband imaging that will continue the breathtaking astrophotography that has made Hubble so universally admired.
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If I remember correctly the Webb has had all of it's time already booked and scheduled for its lifespan.
This is definitely not the case, as the vast, vast majority of its available time is still unreserved. So far, the only time that's been reserved falls into two categories:
1. Guaranteed Time Observations, which go to scientists and agencies that helped develop the telescope, and make up 16% of the time in the first 3 cycles, and nothing beyond those years. Each cycle is approximately 1 year.
2. Most of the remaining time goes to the General Observer program, which will include 6000 hours in Cycle 1, which are already allocated, but Cycle 2 and beyond has not yet been awarded, with the deadline for proposals for cycle 2 still a few months away.
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Yeah, they're planning on using the last bit if Webb for the c
Real fun stuff. Like the solar system. Get some close ups of the Peter planets etc. At least that's what one lady said during the launch festivities
__________________ "Everybody's so desperate to look smart that nobody is having fun anymore" -Jackie Redmond
Selfie photo shows damage of the C3 mirror from the May micrometeroid strike.
While it looks like a lot of damage it really isn't, because of mirror realignments the performance is basically un-affected, however, engineers are keeping an eye on potential future dust-generating events such as in 2023 and 2024, when Webb is expected to fly through particles left behind by Halley's Comet.
Make you wonder why they didn't give it the ability to fold the mirrors up or even a pop up shield when they know danger is approaching.
That Galaxy would be an intensely interesting place. I would love to see if they were able to gather any spectometry data from that small red speck... By my understanding nearly all elements heavier than carbon wouldnt yet have had time or opportunity to form.
It's pretty amazing that we've built something that can look that far back in the universe... 300 million years after the big bang, it's just mind-blowing.
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