Multiwavelength Astronomy Multimedia


Title

JWST Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec)

Description

Many of the objects that JWST will study, such as the first galaxies to form after the Big Bang, are so faint, that its giant mirror must stare at them for hundreds of hours in order to collect enough light to form a spectrum. In order to study thousands of galaxies during its 5 year mission, the NIRSpec is designed to observe 100 objects simultaneously. The NIRSpec will be the first spectrograph in space that has this multi-object capability.

Subject

  • James Webb Space Telescope
  • Near-Infrared Spectrograph
  • Instrument

Credits

Astrium/NIRSpec

Type

Photographic

Associated Lesson

X-ray Tools

This material is based upon work supported by NASA under Grant Nos. NNX09AD33G and NNX10AE80G issued through the SMD ROSES 2009 Program.

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