Friday was a cloudy night but that didn’t stop astronomy fans, young and old, from checking out the model of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) in Battery Park at the southern tip of Manhattan, another attraction at World Science Festival. The night before, at Our Genome Ourselves, I received a tip that the JWST looked “really cool” at night. And it did. But that wasn’t the best part of this free and family friendly event.
The cornerstone of this event was the life-size model of the JWST, one of several space telescopes (think Hubble) that are sending back data that is contributing to a better understanding of the universe. The JWST and project managers have been on site all week talking up the science and the info that will come streaming in upon its launch in 2014.
I arrived just as the panel discussion was winding down, but just as Neil deGrasse Tyson, the Frederick P. Rose Director of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, was warming up. With the number of mobile phone cameras pointed his way I thought at first a rock star was present. Well, to these enthusiasts that’s just what he is, and he kept the crowd entertained well into the evening. With his cowboy hat, his personality played a natural host to this stargazing party.
Kids and adults alike took advantage of the rare opportunity to talk to experts about everything space. The excitement was really high as the kids chatted and got photos with their astronomy heroes. If the purpose of the event included inspiring youngsters, then I’d say the mission was a success.
The best part was during the in depth conversation I had with one of the JWST Project Managers from Northrup Grumman. Several staffers were stationed on site all week to talk to curious participants. The simple question: “this thing has to send back info, where’s the antenna?” evolved into a discussion of many of the technical features of the infrared telescope. At this stargazing party, the topics of conversation among the guests included the use of Hydrazine as the telescope’s own fuel source, an accounting of some of the 10 new technologies that had to be developed to build the JWST, including the use of Berylium to create light-weight mirrors, and the challenges of keeping operational temperatures below -370 degrees Farenheit.
So, thanks to the project managers and experts who managed inspired little and big kids on an overcast night in Battery Park.
More information: JWST science goals
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