Editing 2564: Sunshield
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==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
− | This is another comic with a [[:Category:Facts|Fact]], | + | {{incomplete|Created by THE BRILLIANCE OF THE JWST SCARRING THE FACE OF THIS WIKI- Please continue expanding and improving the explanation. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}} |
+ | This is another comic with a [[:Category:Facts|Fact]], that is not a [[:Category:Fun fact|Fun fact]], this time an Astronomy fact. | ||
JWST stands for {{w|James Webb Space Telescope}}, a space telescope that was launched 12 days prior to publication of this comic, see more details here [[2559: December 25th Launch]]. | JWST stands for {{w|James Webb Space Telescope}}, a space telescope that was launched 12 days prior to publication of this comic, see more details here [[2559: December 25th Launch]]. | ||
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Ordinary cameras use a {{w|Flash (photography)|flash}} to take pictures in low-light situations. Outer space is very dark {{Citation needed}} (one of the JWST's mission objectives will help astronomers calculate exactly [https://www.nasa.gov/feature/new-horizons-spacecraft-answers-question-how-dark-is-space how dark]), so this comic posits that the JWST has a very powerful flash to compensate for this. Most astronomical cameras don't use flash photography {{Citation needed}} -- they depend on the light either emitted by objects themselves (e.g., stars) or from nearby very bright objects (e.g., Solar System planets will reflect the Sun's light, while distant clouds of gas and dust may be largely illuminated by the light of supernovae or recently formed stars within or near them). A flash generally doesn't work for many reasons: | Ordinary cameras use a {{w|Flash (photography)|flash}} to take pictures in low-light situations. Outer space is very dark {{Citation needed}} (one of the JWST's mission objectives will help astronomers calculate exactly [https://www.nasa.gov/feature/new-horizons-spacecraft-answers-question-how-dark-is-space how dark]), so this comic posits that the JWST has a very powerful flash to compensate for this. Most astronomical cameras don't use flash photography {{Citation needed}} -- they depend on the light either emitted by objects themselves (e.g., stars) or from nearby very bright objects (e.g., Solar System planets will reflect the Sun's light, while distant clouds of gas and dust may be largely illuminated by the light of supernovae or recently formed stars within or near them). A flash generally doesn't work for many reasons: | ||
* It would take too long for the light of the flash to return to the telescope - at least twice the time that it had already taken for the original image to arrive on its own. | * It would take too long for the light of the flash to return to the telescope - at least twice the time that it had already taken for the original image to arrive on its own. | ||
− | * The | + | * The shutter in this comic operates (with a click) ''before'' the flash is emitted, so light from the flash wouldn't even reach the camera's {{w|photodetector}}. It is however possible that the camera is using a time exposure and that the shutter was still open when the flash occurred. |
* Not enough 'flash' light would return due to it uselessly spreading in all directions. Instead, in a telescope mirrors and/or lenses focus the light, and long exposure times are used to collect enough of the current light to form a decent image. | * Not enough 'flash' light would return due to it uselessly spreading in all directions. Instead, in a telescope mirrors and/or lenses focus the light, and long exposure times are used to collect enough of the current light to form a decent image. | ||
* A flash powerful enough to overcome the previous difficulty would have to be inordinately powerful. This would raise significant questions about powering it, its destructive effect on JWST, and its damage to (or at least disturbance of) many of the things the flash would be able to illuminate. | * A flash powerful enough to overcome the previous difficulty would have to be inordinately powerful. This would raise significant questions about powering it, its destructive effect on JWST, and its damage to (or at least disturbance of) many of the things the flash would be able to illuminate. | ||
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The comic assigns the sunshield a new, comical purpose of shielding the Sun (and Earth ,which is roughly in the same direction as the Sun, due to the deployment at the {{w|Lagrange point|L2 Lagrange point}}) from this flash, rather than the other way around. When the camera is taking a picture, the comic shows space in front of the shield lit up while there is a totally dark shadow behind the shield (in the direction of Earth and Sun). | The comic assigns the sunshield a new, comical purpose of shielding the Sun (and Earth ,which is roughly in the same direction as the Sun, due to the deployment at the {{w|Lagrange point|L2 Lagrange point}}) from this flash, rather than the other way around. When the camera is taking a picture, the comic shows space in front of the shield lit up while there is a totally dark shadow behind the shield (in the direction of Earth and Sun). | ||
− | The comic also has the camera making a "click" sound. In traditional mechanical cameras | + | The comic also has the camera making a "click" sound. In traditional mechanical cameras, this sound comes from the {{w|Shutter (photography|shutter}} opening and closing, and digital cameras mimic this sound so the user (and subject, when human) knows when the picture is being taken. JWST won't actually click -- it doesn't have a shutter, as it takes long-exposure digital images, and [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078748/taglines in space no one can hear you click]. |
The telescope also tells the universe to smile for the picture. The universe doesn't have a mouth to smile with{{Citation needed}}, although there are a number of features both on Solar System objects and in deep space that look like faces; this is a phenomenon called {{w|pareidolia}}. The most well known is the {{w|Man in the Moon}}, but there are numerous others both in the [https://www.universetoday.com/121551/faces-of-the-solar-system/ Solar system], most famous is probably the {{w|Cydonia (Mars)|Face on Mars}} and out among the galaxies, like the [https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap151127.html Cheshire Cat galaxy group] named after the {{w|Cheshire_Cat#In_science|Cheshire Cat}} from {{w|Alice's Adventures in Wonderland|Alice in Wonderland}}. | The telescope also tells the universe to smile for the picture. The universe doesn't have a mouth to smile with{{Citation needed}}, although there are a number of features both on Solar System objects and in deep space that look like faces; this is a phenomenon called {{w|pareidolia}}. The most well known is the {{w|Man in the Moon}}, but there are numerous others both in the [https://www.universetoday.com/121551/faces-of-the-solar-system/ Solar system], most famous is probably the {{w|Cydonia (Mars)|Face on Mars}} and out among the galaxies, like the [https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap151127.html Cheshire Cat galaxy group] named after the {{w|Cheshire_Cat#In_science|Cheshire Cat}} from {{w|Alice's Adventures in Wonderland|Alice in Wonderland}}. | ||
The title text suggests that, due to the sunshield not being angled to shield Mars, Mars's surface has been badly scarred by the flash. This implies ''incredible'' strength of the flash, perhaps to ensure the light can return from its destinations, comparable to {{tvtropes|KillSat|death-ray satellites}} in fiction. | The title text suggests that, due to the sunshield not being angled to shield Mars, Mars's surface has been badly scarred by the flash. This implies ''incredible'' strength of the flash, perhaps to ensure the light can return from its destinations, comparable to {{tvtropes|KillSat|death-ray satellites}} in fiction. | ||
+ | |||
+ | There is an interesting parallel to [[1378:_Turbine|xkcd #1378 ("Turbine")]] in which the wind turbine must correct Megan by explaining that it is "not a huge fan". The turbine is meant to absorb energy from wind, not propel it outwards; the same goes for JWST and light in 2564. | ||
==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
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[[Category:Telescopes]] | [[Category:Telescopes]] | ||
[[Category:Astronomy]] | [[Category:Astronomy]] | ||
− | [[Category: | + | [[Category:Space]] |