James Webb Telescope: A Machine with Two Extreme Worlds
Floating silently in the deep darkness of space, the James Webb Space Telescope has opened a window into the ancient universe. But behind its breathtaking images lies one of the most surprising engineering secrets ever created by humankind.
On one side of Webb, temperatures rise to nearly 85°C, hot enough to heat metal like a frying pan under the Sun. Yet just a few meters away—on the opposite side—its temperature drops to a bone-chilling -233°C. Two extreme worlds, existing side by side.
🛡️ How can this huge temperature difference exist?
The answer lies in Webb’s massive five-layer sunshield. This shield blocks sunlight with such perfection that one side becomes scorching hot while the other transforms into a deep-space freezer. This extreme cooling is not accidental—it's essential.
🌑 Why does Webb need to stay so cold?
Webb observes the universe in infrared light—the faint glow coming from galaxies formed billions of years ago. If the telescope itself became warm, its own heat would overwhelm and hide those fragile signals. It would be like trying to see fireflies at noon.
❄️ Doesn’t equipment freeze at -233°C?
Surprisingly, no. Space is a complete vacuum—there is no air, no moisture, no water vapor. That means nothing can freeze the way it does on Earth. Webb’s instruments are specially designed to survive and work flawlessly in this ultra-cold, hostile environment.
The most temperature-sensitive device, MIRI, is cooled even further using liquid helium—down to about -266°C, just a few degrees above absolute zero.
💰 A $10 Billion Time Machine
Building this cosmic masterpiece cost around $10 billion—equivalent to nearly 2.22% of Bangladesh’s current GDP. Webb is not just a telescope; it is humanity’s most advanced time-travel window, capturing light that began its journey billions of years ago.
Every image from Webb is a message from the ancient universe—revealing stories we never thought we would witness in our lifetime.
✍ Writer: Future Pulse
🔭 Source: NASA
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