Webb Space Telescope changing orientation. Credit: NASAs Goddard Space Flight
UC Riverside astrophysicist explains the science.
The James Webb Space Telescope, the most intricate and expensive area lab ever created, is less than 2 weeks away from its ultimate location a million miles from Earth. Once it arrives, it will send information about parts of space and time never ever seen before. It will likewise send previously unattainable information about parts of our own planetary system..
UC Riverside astrophysicist Stephen Kanes group will be using the telescope to look for planets like Venus in other parts of the galaxy. In addition to work with the Webb objective, Kane is likewise signing up with NASA on objectives to Venus anticipated to release after 2028. Here, he breaks down some unique elements of the Webb, discusses how the separate Venus jobs intersect, and how both might benefit Earth..
UC Riverside astrophysicist Stephen Kane. Credit: Stan Lim/UCR.
Q: The Webb telescope cost $10 billion. What added to the cost, and what makes it various from other telescopes?
A: Webb is often described as a successor to NASAs Hubble Space Telescope, which is extremely still going strong. It was launched in the early 90s and is well past its expiration date– it was never ever meant to last this long. Its main mirror is just under 8 feet in diameter. The Webbs mirror is more than 21 feet across. Its way larger. There are a few other important distinctions..
Hubble orbits the Earth, and theres a benefit to that. The downside is that Earth gets in the way of its observations and can restrict some of the science it can do. In contrast, Webb is headed to the Lagrange point, a location in area where Earth and the suns gravity cancel out, so it can stay in a steady orbit.
In addition, the Hubble mainly runs at optical wavelengths, ones we can see with the human eye. Webb is primarily created to “see” infrared light with extreme sensitivity. This will assist us spot a number of things, including stars and planets that are simply forming and arent yet otherwise visible.
Q: How will you be using Webbs innovation to assist you comprehend more about Venus? Also, why are you studying Venus?
A: Venus could be explained as a runaway greenhouse hellscape. It has surface area temperature levels of approximately 800 degrees Fahrenheit, no water, and drifts in a nest of sulfuric acid clouds. In my work, Im attempting to answer 2 questions: 1) how did Venus get to be the way it is? and 2) how frequently does this hellish state happen elsewhere?
Our different mission to Venus has to do with answering the former concern. Thats about studying Venus itself. Our deal with the Webb has to do with the latter– are there other Venuses? Well be using Webb to measure the environments of exoplanets– planets around stars other than our sun– and attempting to determine whether theyre more like Earth or Venus. Specifically, Webb will help us look for co2 and other gases that could indicate runaway greenhouse states..
We are going to do these measurements on worlds where we currently know for how long it takes them to orbit their stars, how close they are to their stars, their size and their mass. However we dont know much about their environments, or whether theyre in Venus-like states. Webb can tell us this. And it will help us see whether the fate of Venus is a typical fate or not..
Q: Greenhouse gases are causing devastating modifications to the climate here in the world. Can Venus science assistance solve this worlds problems?
A: Whatever occurred to Venus was through non-human procedures, but the result is really similar. Venus is a sneak peek into Earths future. Understanding how runaway greenhouse gases work can tell us how to avoid that future..
We know that climate change is genuine, that temperature levels are increasing. But theres a lot of variability in forecasts 50 or 100 years out due to the fact that there are limitations to just how much we know about how planetary procedures influence each other..
Volcanic outgassing, ocean currents, air currents– there are numerous pieces in a complex puzzle, and were attempting to identify our fate based just on information from Earth. We require another source of data where things have actually currently gone incorrect, and thats Venus..
Its possible Venus could constantly have been in its current state, however we dont think so. We believe it might have had water in the past due to the fact that it rotates slowly, which could permit clouds to form and cool the surface enough to get water. Thats one factor were returning, to see the geology on the surface and get ideas about its origins..
I often describe the relationship between Venus and Earth this way: its like we live in a nice town. Theres a nearby town that at some point burned to the ground, and we dont understand why.
In addition to work with the Webb mission, Kane is likewise joining NASA on missions to Venus expected to introduce after 2028. Our work with the Webb is about the latter– are there other Venuses? Well be using Webb to determine the atmospheres of exoplanets– planets around stars other than our sun– and trying to figure out whether theyre more like Earth or Venus. Venus is a preview into Earths future. I frequently describe the relationship in between Venus and Earth this method: its like we live in a good town.
