The James Webb Telescope Article Summary

My Summary:

On December 25, 2021, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), or Webb, was launched from the European Space Agency’s spaceport. The Webb has a 6.5 meter primary mirror and is an infrared telescope. It was designed to capture some of the most major phases in the history of the universe, “ranging from the first luminous glows after the Big Bang, to the formation of solar systems capable of supporting life on planets like Earth, to the evolution of our own Solar System” (NASA, 2021). The Web will not only capture significant events such as these, but also every phase of the universe with deep and sharp images, serving as one of the greatest inventions in space exploration for astronomers across the globe. 

One of the primary aspects of the James Webb Telescope is its ability to look deeper into the universe than ever before in order to look for other planets that could sustain life as complex and technologically advanced as ours. With the extensive number of stars in our own universe, “the big question about that big number is how many of those stars support life” (Young, 2022). Looking through the Webb telescope and such high quality images of the universe, we are “almost certainly looking at the homes of living counterparts who very well could be marveling at their own new images that reveal to them a place we know as the Milky Way” (Young, 2022). 

After following NASA on Instagram, I started following the Webb story over 2022. From the anticipation of its launch in 2021 to the excitement when the first images taken by the telescope were released to the public on July 12th, I became more and more fascinated. After seeing explanations of the telescope on NASA’s Instagram story, I became more interested and went to the website to watch the full video. It made me so excited to finally see the first images which were honestly breathtaking. The images of the Cosmic Cliffs in the Carina Nebula and the Pillars of Creation are just two of some of the coolest things you’ll ever see. 

Young starts off by emphasizing that “the Webb telescope images remind us who we really are” and that “the views of the universe are gifts of perspective.” He believes that the Webb telescope will help us rediscover our capacity of unity. Webb’s First Deep Field, an image produced by the telescope, was released on July 11, 2022. It captures hundreds of galaxies each containing millions of stars. This deep and distant photo is particularly moving “in a universal, inexhaustible way.” It brings us together in awe.

AI:

Summary: NASA released the first image from its James Webb Space Telescope this week – a “deep field” photo that captures hundreds of galaxies each containing around 100 million stars, some being so distant in time and space, that they represent the farthest humans have yet journeyed in cosmological observation. This collective awe that is immune to partisanship, provides us with perspective which reminds us of our significance and vastness, even in comparison to something as grand as the universe. We can benefit from this perspective as we continue to work towards improving our lives here on Earth.

Comparison:

1. What biases seem evident is what is and isn’t in the AI summary?
   • In the AI summary, we can see it’s pulling from just the first part of the article. It goes in-depth for the first couple paragraphs of the article put them drops off after the article describes the significance of the photo.
2. What do I notice about my own viewpoint after comparing it to the AI summary?
   • After comparing it to the AI summary, I can see it goes into much more depth about the James Webb telescope and I’m able to more clearly acknowledge its significance and the beauty of the photos. I take more quotes from the article and refer to my own emotions and thoughts while learning about the telescope.
3. What questions do I have about the original articles?
   • I want to learn more about the before of when the telescope and images were released. I was curious to see what other people think about the James Webb Telescope and views on how it’s so significant to science today. Even how it can bring us together.
4. What questions for further research do I have about the issues raised by these articles?
   • For future research, I could go more in-depth about how we are possibly looking at other life forms looking back at us through the telescope without us even knowing. There are so many more things we can learn about the universe through the James Webb, and I want to know what’s possible so far.