The most frequently asked question that I get about JWST images is: "Why do the stars look like that?". In other words: why are the stars "spikey"?
A 🧵on JWST diffraction spikes. 🔭🧪
The full infographic can be downloaded here: https://webbtelescope.org/contents/media/images/01G529MX46J7AFK61GAMSHKSSN
1/
A 🧵on JWST diffraction spikes. 🔭🧪
The full infographic can be downloaded here: https://webbtelescope.org/contents/media/images/01G529MX46J7AFK61GAMSHKSSN
1/
Comments
(and also a giant horse running away in a cloud of dust)
In press release images, we almost always leave the spikes in, but will occasionally remove them if they are distracting.
Actual data is on the left, model is on the right.
More on WR 140: https://webbtelescope.org/contents/early-highlights/webb-reveals-shells-of-dust-surrounding-brilliant-binary-star-system.html
This is Venus and Mars with the Beehive Cluster with an old Yashica 50mm lens.
Was passiert dort gerade oder bereits vor x Lichtjahren🤷♂️
It was the subject of one of Hubble's most famous images, originally taken in 1995.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pillars_of_Creation
The spikes seen in telescope images are caused by diffraction, which happens even in reflecting telescopes with perfect optics.
The imperfections seen by getting water in your eyes are caused by refraction, creating a lousy lens.
While all stars create the patterns, we only see spikes with the brightest stars (or point-like objects).
2/
When these light waves meet and interact, they can amplify or cancel each other out. This makes the light and dark spots that show in diffraction patterns.
3/
4/
5/
6/