James Webb Space Telescope is a huge leap forward for understanding the universe, Wayne State astrophysicist says

Astrophysicist Edward Cackett says the new telescope will give us a glimpse of some of the universe’s earliest galaxies, as well as give us hints about where extraterrestrial life might be abundant on other planets.

NASA scientists next to the large James Webb Space Telescope.

There was big news from NASA recently with the launch of a new telescope that could reveal some of the most fundamental information about the origins of our universe.

“We’ll actually be able to see the signature, for instance, of water vapor around planets around other stars and potentially see the signatures of life on distant planets.” – Edward Cackett, Wayne State University

The James Webb Space Telescope launched on Christmas Day, and is traveling about a million miles away from Earth. Once it gets there, it will be our first window into the farthest reaches of the universe.


Listen: Wayne State University Astrophysicist Edward Cackett discusses the James Webb Space Telescope.

 


Guest

Edward Cackett is an astrophysicist with Wayne State University and chair of WSU’s Planetarium Advisory Board. He says the new telescope will give us a glimpse of some of the universe’s earliest galaxies, as well as give us hints about where extraterrestrial life might be abundant on other planets.

“We’ll actually be able to see the signature, for instance, of water vapor around planets around other stars and potentially see the signatures of life on distant planets,” says Cackett.

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