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The fearsome requirements imposed by optical interferometry are a real killer here: the JWST mirror segments can be controlled with 10nm precision for a reason.
by adhesive_wombat 5y ago
The fearsome requirements imposed by optical interferometry are a real killer here: the JWST mirror segments can be controlled with 10nm precision for a reason.
Radio is a billion times easier (at least in naive terms): wavelengths in the kilometers rather than hundreds of nanometers
- mikepurvis 5y agoAh, that is a helpful distinction. I had been thinking that JWST was for radio observations, but it's the opposite of course; JWST is for making high energy observations of things like gamma rays.
- bashinator 5y agoOn the contrary, JWST is mostly focused on the near infrared. Good for seeing through dust and for capturing highly red-shifted faraway objects.