How Distant Stars and Planets Tracking Works

WHO CAN ANSWER THIS. >> THE JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE LAUNCHED ON CHRISTMAS DAY 2021. IT IS THE MOST SOPHISTICATED SPACE OBSERVATORY OF OUR MODERN TIMES. IT IS CURRENTLY IN ORBIT AROUND THE EARTH-MOON SYSTEM. >> “THIS TELESCOPE IS ESSENTIALLY STATIONED ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE MOON.” >> DANIEL HORENSTEIN IS AN ASTRONOMER WHO MANAGES THE NEWLY IMPROVED BUHL PLANETARIUM AND OBSERVATORY AT CARNEGIE SCIENCE CETNER. IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY WEEK THE WEBB FINDS SOMETHING NEW AND UNDISCOVERED IN THE UNIVERSE. PRODUCE INCREDIBLE IMAGES LIKE THESE. THE MOST RECENT? LHS 475 B AN EXOPLANET NASA SAYS ‘RELATIVELY NEARBY’ 41 LIGHT YEARS AWAY. SO LET’S USE THIS AS AN EXAMPLE TO SEE HOW FAR THEY ARE. DANIEL FIRST SAYS THAT THE GAIA SATELLITE MEASURES THE DISTANCE TO THE STAR TO WHICH THE NEW PLANET IS CLOSEST. IT DOES THIS BY USING SOMETHING CALLED PARALLAX. >> “SO IF YOU TAKE YOUR FINGER, HOLD IT JUST IN FRONT OF YOUR NOSE AND FLASH FORWARD AND BACK – YOUR FINGER WILL ALIGN WITH DIFFERENT PLACES IN THE BACKGROUND. WHEN YOU TAKE YOUR FINGER AND MOVE IT FURTHER, THIS CHANGE IN YOUR FINGER WILL CHANGE – IT WILL GET SMALLER THE MORE YOU MOVE YOUR OBJECT.” >> HE SAYS THAT’S ESSENTIALLY WHAT THE SATELLITE DOES. ONCE THE WEBB TELESCOPE HAS FOUND SOMETHING NEW, IT WILL SPIN IN ORBIT LOOKING FOR SMALL CHANGES IN THE WAY THE STARS ALIGN TO DETERMINE ITS DISTANCE. AS FAR AS A LIGHT YEAR. DESPITE THE YEAR IN ITS NAME, IT IS A UNIT OF DISTANCE. >> “SAY YOU TAKE A BEAM OF LIGHT, LET IT TRAVEL IN A STRAIGHT LINE FOR A FULL YEAR THE DISTANCE LIGHT COVERED IN 1 YEAR IS CALLED A LIGHT YEAR.” >> AND LIGHT TRAVELS VERY FAST. IN 1 SECOND, LIGHT CAN GO AROUND THE EARTH 7 TIMES. DANIEL SAYS THE WEBB TELESCOPE IS CAPABLE OF FINDING THESE NEW PLANETS AND STARS BY HAVING THE LARGEST OPTICAL MIRROR EVER LAUNCHED ON A SPACE TELESCOPE. “JAMES WEBB DOES NOT TAKE PHOTOS OF PLANETS THE SAME WAY PEOPLE WILL SEE A PHOTO WHEN THEY WATCH WTAE. BUT SUPPOSE WE TAKE THIS PICTURE YOU SEE ON TV, AND YOU MEASURE HOW MUCH OF THIS PICTURE IS RED? HOW GREEN IS IT? HOW MUCH IS BLUE? YOU ARE LOOKING AT THE COLORS IN THIS PHOTO. THIS IS WHAT JAMES WEBB CAN DO. AND THIS IS HOW WE CAN SEE DETAILS IN THE UNIVERSE AROUND US.” >> AND JUST TO GIVE YOU ONE MORE WAY TO UNDERSTAND HOW FAR THIS NEW EXOPLANET IS TAKEN BY THIS PING-PONG BALL. >> “IF WE WERE TO PLACE THIS ON THE SAME SCALE AT 40 LIGHT YEARS, YOU ARE LOOKING FOR THIS PING PONG BALL IN HAWAII. YOU’LL BE ON PITTSBURGH LOOKING FOR THAT PING PONG BALL IN HAWAII.” >> NASA EXPECTS THE WEBB TELESCOPE TO RUN FOR FIVE YEARS. BUT SAY IT COULD LAST MORE THAN 10. IT WON’T LAST FOREVER, HOWEVER. EVEN THOUGH IT IS MAINLY SOLAR POWERED, IT DEPENDS ON A FINISHED FUEL FOR OPEARTE.IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION I CAN GET AN ANSWER FOR YOU, LET ME KNOW!YOU CAN LEAVE A VOICE MESSAGE AT THE NUMBER ON YOUR SCREEN IT’S 4-1-2 2-4-4 4-6-1-0 OR YOU CAN GO DIRECT AND SEND ME A VIDEO MESSAGE YOU CAN SHARE IT WITH ME IN

Ask Kelly: Tracking Distant Stars and Planets

Updated: 4:48 PM EST February 1, 2023

In this week’s “Ask Kelly,” we step out of this world. Michael from Elizabeth Township asked, “Can someone from the Science Center explain how the Webb Telescope determines how far a star or planet is from Earth?” Since its launch, we have obtained incredible images of plants and very distant stars. There happens to be someone at the Carnegie Science Center who can answer that. Take a look at the video to learn more about the galactic breakdown.

In this week’s “Ask Kelly,” we step out of this world.

Michael from Elizabeth Township asked, “Can someone from the Science Center explain how the Webb Telescope determines the distance between a star or planet far from Earth?”

Since its launch, we have obtained incredible images of plants and very distant stars.

There happens to be someone at the Carnegie Science Center who can answer that question.

Take a look at the video to learn more about the galactic breakdown.