Why gold is the ultimate coating for deep space exploration
In short: The James Webb Space Telescope features what is arguably the most advanced mirror ever built. This video explores the engineering hurdles of infrared astronomy and why specific materials were chosen to see the invisible.
Building an infrared telescope presents unique challenges, leading scientists to develop a segmented mirror design for the James Webb Space Telescope. While polishing a continuous 6.5m mirror is technically possible—with teams in France and Arizona already casting 8.4m mirrors—the Webb's segmented approach makes the polishing process more manageable and allows for easier transportation during construction.
Gold was selected as the primary coating because it reflects all wavelengths of light that Webb is designed to see, ranging from 0.6 microns to 27 microns. Although silver also reflects infrared light well, gold outperforms it across the specific spectrum required for this mission.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: The Most Advanced Mirror in the World
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