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Really sad that 30 years later we're only slightly larger. This is a major problem for telescopes since there are hard physical limits on resolution vs size.
by zionic 5y ago
Really sad that 30 years later we're only slightly larger. This is a major problem for telescopes since there are hard physical limits on resolution vs size.
- jxcl 5y agoThey both look like they might be similar sizes in an illustration like that, but the Hubble mirror is 2.4 meters, whereas the JWST mirror is 6.5 meters, which has 7 times the light-gathering capability of Hubble.
- jon_richards 5y agoObviously it’s sad that we don’t have a larger Hubble-equivalent by now, but the Webb’s operating temperature makes it a completely different beast. It is massively expanding our capabilities in a way a larger Hubble wouldn’t. And I’m hopeful for the mid-term future, as the massive improvements in launch capability we’re seeing start to pay off.
- zelos 5y agoIt's 2.5 times the mirror diameter, which is 6.25 times the light collecting area.
- p1mrx 5y agoSpaceX Starship may help with that, assuming it works as intended.