“We are going back almost to the beginning,” said Nasa administrator Bill Nelson on Tuesday at the unveiling of the first image from the James Webb space telescope. That’s back to beginning of the universe — a moment or so after the big bang — 13,5-billion years ago. Long, long before our own planet Earth was formed and even longer before humans were so much as a twinkle in evolution’s eye.
Cue a spine-tingling, toe-curling thrill.
The first image unveiled on Tuesday is known as Webb’s First Deep Field, captured infrared light that had been travelling through space for billions years, bending around galaxies. Nelson said more images would be released, going back even further in time.
Even more tantalising is the promise of discoveries still to come as scientists turn their gaze to the edges of the universe; to the time when the first stars and galaxies were formed and the earliest light appeared. How were the first stars formed? What can we learn about black holes and supernovas? Will we find other planets that can support life? How fast is the universe expanding? These images promise giant steps in knowledge for humankind.
If this feels terribly far away, it shouldn’t. SA is playing its own internationally significant role in space exploration through the Meerkat radio telescope. Last year Meerkat enabled the discovery of clouds of elemental hydrogen gas by a team of international scientists.
At times of such magnificent achievement, it is worth asking why human minds can’t come together to solve our enduring social problems such as poverty and unemployment. Children are less likely to revel in the wonder of the universe if they don’t have enough to eat. This is not to carp at the achievements of the scientists, it is to rue that poverty will keep some of our children from the joy and inspiration of discovery.
At times of such magnificent achievement, it is worth asking why human minds can’t come together to solve our enduring social problems such as poverty and unemployment.
In a different context, one of SA’s first astrophysicists, Thebe Medupe, said: “I always just tell students there are no words to describe the excitement of discovering something completely new that no-one else knows about. Astronomy is great fun because you get to work out the secrets of the universe.”
The images from the space telescope have just thrown the possibilities wide open. We look forward to what comes next.
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