Hey there! Are you ready to join Squeaks and me on an exciting adventure to Sam the Bat’s observatory? Sam is super excited to show us some amazing new photos taken by the James Webb Space Telescope. This new telescope is a big deal because it can see much further into space than any telescope before it!
The James Webb Space Telescope is not just any telescope. It can see further away because engineers designed it with a new and special design. Telescopes have changed a lot over time, and engineers keep improving them to solve new challenges.
Imagine trying to look at something really far away, like the planet Jupiter. With just your eyes, Jupiter looks like a tiny bright dot. But with a telescope, which works like a magnifying glass, you can see it much better. Telescopes use lenses and mirrors to make faraway objects look bigger.
When we use telescopes on Earth, the air around us can make things look blurry. Even though air seems clear, it can make light jiggle around, making it hard to see distant objects clearly. To solve this, engineers put telescopes in high places like mountains, where there’s less air to look through.
But for the clearest images, we need telescopes in space! Space telescopes, like the James Webb Space Telescope, don’t have to look through Earth’s air, so they can take super clear pictures. They are designed differently, with bigger lenses and mirrors, to look deep into space and send images back to Earth.
The James Webb Space Telescope can even see things that our eyes can’t. Some things in space are invisible to us, but this telescope can capture them in pictures. This helps us learn about space mysteries in amazing new ways, like seeing whole galaxies we’ve never seen before.
Building the James Webb Space Telescope took a long time and a lot of hard work. It’s far away from us now, doing important observation jobs. Telescopes come in all shapes and sizes, each designed for different purposes. Our small telescope is great for stargazing at home, while Sam’s telescope is perfect for his special space observations. But the James Webb Space Telescope is helping us make discoveries no human has ever made before!
Before we go, let’s answer a fun question from Vibha, age 10. Vibha asks, “How does a chameleon change colors?” Chameleons are amazing lizards that can change their skin color thanks to tiny crystals called iridophores. When a chameleon wants to change color, it changes the shape of these crystals, which changes its color. It’s like watching thousands of tiny crystals move in its skin. How cool is that?
If you have any questions or want to explore more amazing science tools, be sure to subscribe and join us next time for more adventures. See you soon!
Build Your Own Telescope: Gather some simple materials like cardboard tubes, magnifying glasses, and mirrors. Work with an adult to create a basic telescope. Once it’s ready, take it outside and try to look at the moon or distant trees. Discuss how the telescope helps you see things more clearly and how it might be similar or different from the James Webb Space Telescope.
Starry Night Observation: On a clear night, go outside with a parent or guardian and look up at the stars. Try to find a constellation or a bright star. Imagine what it would be like to see these stars through the James Webb Space Telescope. Draw a picture of what you think you might see and share your drawing with your family or friends.
Ask and Imagine: Think about a question you have about space, like “What does a galaxy look like up close?” or “How many stars are there in the universe?” Share your question with a friend or family member and imagine what the answer might be. Then, pretend you are an astronaut using the James Webb Space Telescope to find the answer. What do you discover?
