Why Does JWST See in Infrared?

What Crafty Clover says in this video

Intro

Hi there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. Why does JWST see in infrared?

The Big Idea

JWST sees in infrared because that light reveals things that our eyes and ordinary cameras miss! Infrared passes through dust clouds that hide baby stars, and it carries stretched light from the very earliest galaxies. Different light means different cosmic secrets, waiting to be found.

See Through Dust

Step one: see through dust. Thick clouds of dust hide newborn stars from our eyes. Infrared light slips through the dust, so JWST can peek inside and spot them.

Stretched Light

Step two: stretched light. The universe is expanding, so light from the farthest galaxies gets stretched as it travels. Visible light turns into infrared by the time it reaches us.

Keep It Cool

Step three: keep it cool. Everything warm glows a little in infrared, even a telescope. So JWST has a giant sunshield that keeps it very cold.

A Closer Look

Let's take a closer look! Visible light is the small slice of colours we can see. Infrared is light with longer waves that we feel as warmth. Infrared shines through dust clouds that hide stars. It also shows us galaxies from very early in the universe.

Quick Facts

Quick facts! Invisible light still carries news. Your body glows in infrared, too. JWST's sunshield is about the size of a tennis court. JWST works about 1.5 million kilometres from Earth.

Think Like a Scientist

Now, peek at infrared! Point a TV remote at your phone camera. Press a button and look at the screen. Many phone cameras show the infrared light as a purple glow. Ask a grown-up to help you, and never shine bright lights into your eyes.

Outro

Invisible light shows us hidden wonders. Science is amazing! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!