How the James Webb Space Telescope Uses Gold Mirrors
In short: The James Webb Space Telescope uses a microscopically thin gold coating on its mirrors because gold is highly reflective of infrared light and chemically inert, allowing it to detect faint heat signatures from the early universe while blocking radiant heat.
A 1:50 short film in the series “Space Frontiers”.
Sources used in this film: NASA, “James Webb Space Telescope's Golden Mirror - NASA”; NASA Spinoff, “Gold Coating Keeps Oscars Bright | NASA Spinoff”; NASA, “Sensing the Universe - NASA Science”; NASA JPL Education, “10 Things We Can Learn from Webb's First Images – Gallery | NASA JPL Education”; NASA, “Science with Webb - NASA Science”.
Sources used in this film
- NASA — James Webb Space Telescope's Golden Mirror - NASA · View →
- NASA Spinoff — Gold Coating Keeps Oscars Bright | NASA Spinoff · View →
- NASA — Sensing the Universe - NASA Science · View →
- NASA JPL Education — 10 Things We Can Learn from Webb's First Images – Gallery | NASA JPL Education · View →
- NASA — Science with Webb - NASA Science · View →
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: NASA: James Webb Space Telescope's Golden Mirror - NASA
- Also: NASA Spinoff: Gold Coating Keeps Oscars Bright | NASA Spinoff
- Also: NASA: Sensing the Universe - NASA Science
- Also: NASA JPL Education: 10 Things We Can Learn from Webb's First Images – Gallery | NASA JPL Education
- Also: Science with Webb - NASA Science
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