5 lesser-known facts about the James Webb Space Telescope

JWST is so powerful that it will be able to detect the light of a candle on a planet located 1 million kilometers away from Earth.

[{"selector":"#anim-59c2d6f3-b01c-466b-af40-7dad8f5dcb97 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(34.1626212631227%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}]

The telescope will be able to see back in time to within 250 million years of the Big Bang, which is approximately 13.5 billion years ago.

[{"selector":"#anim-c837e007-38f5-42bd-bf9c-b4e803f9776e [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(34.17499990397451%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}]

The sunshield on the telescope is the size of a tennis court and is designed to protect the instruments from the sun's heat and light.

[{"selector":"#anim-29804cab-8bb3-4945-807e-c8542e0975a8 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(12.514648210040342%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}]

To protect the sensitive instruments on the telescope, they are cooled to -273°C (-459°F) using liquid helium.

[{"selector":"#anim-419a0952-794f-4d6f-bd07-290afaa46e0f [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(34.179687404002955%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}]

The design and construction of JWST involved more than 1,000 engineers and scientists from around the world, representing 17 different countries.

[{"selector":"#anim-86add1b0-e59a-4504-9fa1-0c77eeabbf68 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(34.179687404002955%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}]

JWST is expected to have a lifespan of at least 10 years, but it has the potential to last for much longer.

[{"selector":"#anim-1bbc3c4a-8385-4519-8703-36d17d845d22 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(21.874999829338595%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}]