Multiwavelength Astronomy Multimedia


Title

Microshutters

Description

The James Webb Space Telescope's (JWST) Near-infrared Spectrograph will use microshutters that act like tiny doorways to block unwanted light from nearby objects in space, while allowing light from very distant stars and galaxies to shine through. The microshutters are assembled as an array about the size of a postage stamp. Each array contains over 62,000 shutters. Individually, each microshutter measures 100 by 200 microns, or about the width of a human hair. The telescope will contain four of these microshutter arrays.

Subject

  • XRS-2
  • Microshutter
  • Instrument

Credits

NASA/Chris Gunn

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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