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It's in the article: > The "spike" structures were a function of the design of Webb's primary mirror, explained Prof Mark McCaughrean from the European Space A
by adventured 5y ago
It's in the article:
> The "spike" structures were a function of the design of Webb's primary mirror, explained Prof Mark McCaughrean from the European Space Agency (Esa).
> "The shape of those 18 hexagons imprints a faint diffraction pattern that makes bright stars look like spiky snowflakes - this isn't a problem for the science, but will give Webb images a very distinctive look," he told BBC News.
> "Indeed, the fact that we can see those spikes so crisply also confirms that the mirrors have been perfectly lined up - this is brilliant news."