The James Webb Space Telescope at L2

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James Webb Space Telescope Space exploration Orbital destination Lagrange point L2 point Space telescope Gravitational balance Sunshield Infrared observations Hubble Space Telescope Earth's shadow Thermally stable Field of regard Field of view Fine steering mirror Commissioning process Space mission Space observatory Universe mysteries Webb Telescope Webb's launch Space technology Space science Orbital mechanics Celestial observation Telescope optics Space instruments Infrared signals Solar influence Lunar influence Telescope cooling Solar radiation Space environment Celestial objects Astronomical research Space discoveries Space exploration milestones Astronomical instruments Webb's scientific goals Space engineering Space mission timeline Astronomical imaging Cosmic observations Space telescope launch Solar system exploration Cosmic mysteries Astronomical phenomena Space technology advancements Space research Webb's fine-tuning Celestial phenomena Space science objectives Astronomical investigations Space instrument calibration Celestial bodies Cosmic exploration Webb's orbit Spacecraft operations Spacecraft positioning Webb's mission success Astronomical discoveries Webb's instruments Space observation techniques Space mission preparations Celestial research Space instrument capabilities Cosmic exploration tools Astronomical data collection Webb's mission goals Space technology innovations Space environment challenges Celestial body tracking Astronomical discoveries Cosmic exploration milestones Space exploration impact Space observatory launch Astronomical mission details Webb's scientific equipment Spacecraft maintenance Space mission objectives Celestial object tracking Astronomical instrument operation Cosmic data analysis Space mission success factors Webb's scientific instruments Space technology development Space science insights Astronomical research tools Celestial body observations Webb's data collection Space observatory achievements Astronomical mission significance Cosmic exploration discoveries Space mission achievements Webb's scientific contributions Space instrument deployment Celestial phenomena monitoring Astronomical instrument coordination Space science milestones Cosmic exploration revelations

After launch, the James Webb Space Telescope will travel to its orbital destination. Webb will perform its science mission while orbiting a location in space, called the second Lagrange point, or L2 for short. L2 is located one million miles from Earth. As Webb orbits L2, the telescope stays in line with Earth as it travels around the Sun. L2 is a point where the gravitational influences of the Earth and Sun balance the centripetal force of a small object orbiting with them. The telescope's optics and instruments need to be kept very cold to be able to observe the very faint infrared signals of very distant objects clearly. This location is perfect for Webb's sunshield to block out light and heat from the Sun, Earth, and Moon. Unlike the Hubble Space Telescope, Webb's orbit keeps the spacecraft out of the Earth's shadow making L2 a thermally stable location for the observatory to operate at. Webb will operate within its field of regard. The "field of regard" refers to the angles the telescope can move while staying in the shadow of the Sun. Each of Webb's instruments has its own field of view. The field of view is the area of sky an instrument can observe. Webb's fine steering mirror is moved so that an object can be observed by the different instruments. This prevents the whole telescope from having to repoint itself to do so. The Webb Telescope’s commissioning process will be complete approximately six months after launch, at which time Webb start its science mission. Helping to uncover more of the mysteries of our Universe. Released Monday, January 24th, 2022 This video is public domain and along with other supporting visualizations can be downloaded from the Scientific Visualization Studio at: http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/13425
Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Michael P. Menzel If you liked this video, subscribe to the NASA Goddard YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/NASAExplorer Follow NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center • Instagram http://www.instagram.com/nasagoddard • Twitter http://twitter.com/NASAGoddard • Twitter http://twitter.com/NASAGoddardPix • Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NASA.GSFC • Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/gsfc

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