Our Galaxy and the Universe:
General Information:
- Webb Science
- Explore NASA's James Webb Space Telescope
- Northrop Grumman and the James Webb Space Telescope
- Into the Unknown Movie Poster
Explore with WebbVR
The James Webb Space Telescope will be the world's premier space science observatory when it launches in 2021. With WebbVR, you can fly up-close to Webb's golden mirrors, and learn how it collects infrared light to reveal the cosmos. You can also compare Webb with the Hubble and WFIRST space telescopes. Info hubs within the VR environment provide more information about each mission. Further out, explore your own cosmic neighborhood—the Solar System—in gorgeous detail. Fly through Saturn's rings or join Jupiter's moons in orbit around the gas giant. You may also leave the Solar System behind and visit the stunning Orion Nebula, where a swirling disk of gas and dust is beginning to form planets, or fly through the star fields of a simulated galaxy. All of these destinations, from our cosmic backyard to distant galaxies, will be observed with Webb. WebbVR users don't just visit cosmic realms – they interact with them. You can fling entire stars toward a ravenous black hole and watch them get torn apart, feeding twin jets that blast outward across space. You can build your own planet or even a whole solar system. You can investigate how changing the mass of a star alters the course of its lifecycle.
To experience WebbVR, users will need an Oculus Rift or HTC Vive headset and a compatible computer (PC with appropriate graphics processor). WebbVR is available for download from Steam, a popular VR content platform. WebbVR was developed by STScI in partnership with Northrop Grumman.
For Teachers:
- Smithsonian's Space Systems Exploration Curriculum
- Formal and Informal Educational Materials from NASA
- Webb Telescope: We Can See The Beginning
- Taking a Closer Look: Examining Light and Telescopes (PDF)
- Into the Unknown Next Generation Science Standards Matrix (PDF)
- Into the Unknown BINGO (PDF)
JWST Lesson Plans:
- The Nature of Light – Lesson
- The Nature of Light – Worksheet
- How NASA Communications with Spacecraft – Lesson
- How NASA Communications with Spacecraft – Worksheet
- Comparisons between JWST and Hubble – Worksheet
- Space Exploration Across Electromagnetic Spectrum – Worksheet
- Electromagnetic Spectrum – Worksheet
- Northrop Grumman Unit Focus on Waves and Communication
- James Webb Space Telescope – Fun Facts Q&A Folding Puzzler
For Students:
- Students and the Webb Telescope
- Webb Telescope Lego Assembly Instructions (PDF)
- Taking a Closer Look: Examining Light and Telescopes (PDF)
Photo Credits: NASA
