NASA launches world's largest telescope James Webb Space to behold first stars

KOUROU, Dec 25: The world's largest and most powerful space telescope rocketed away on December 25 on a high-stakes quest to behold light from the first stars and galaxies and scour the universe for hints of life.

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope soared from French Guiana on South America's northeastern coast, riding a European Ariane rocket into the Christmas morning sky.

The $10 billion observatory hurtled toward its destination one million miles (1.6 million kilometers) away, or more than four times beyond the moon. It will take a month to get there and another five months before its infrared eyes are ready to start scanning the cosmos.

First, the telescopes enormous mirror and sunshield need to unfurl; they were folded origami-style to fit into the rocket's nose cone. Otherwise, the observatory wont be able to peer back in time 13.7 billion years as anticipated, within a mere 100 million years of the universe-forming Big Bang.

Its going to give us a better understanding of our universe and our place in it: who we are, what we are, the search thats eternal, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said earlier this week.

Intended as a successor to the aging Hubble Space Telescope, the long-delayed James Webb is named after NASAs administrator during the 1960s. NASA partnered with the European and Canadian space agencies to build and launch the new 7-ton telescope, with thousands of people from 29 countries working on it since the 1990s.

With the launch falling on Christmas and a global surge in COVID-19 cases, there were fewer spectators at the French Guiana launch site than expected. Nelson bowed out along with a congressional delegation and many contractors who worked on the telescope.

Around the world, astronomers had eagerly waited to see Webb finally taking flight after years of setbacks. Last-minute technical snags bumped the launch nearly a week, then gusty wind pushed it to Christmas. Inside Launch Control, there was a smattering of Santa hats.

We launch for humanity this morning, Arianespace CEO Stephane Israel said minutes before liftoff. After Webb, we will never see the skies in quite the same way.

The telescope's showpiece: a gold-plated mirror more than 21 feet (6.5 meters) across.

Protecting the observatory is a wispy, five-layered sunshield, vital for keeping the light-gathering mirror and heat-sensing infrared detectors at subzero temperatures. At 70 feet by 46 feet (21 meters by 14 meters), its the size of a tennis court.

If all goes well, the sunshield will be opened three days after liftoff, taking at least five days to unfold and lock into place. Next, the mirror segments should open up like the leaves of a drop-leaf table, 12 days or so into the flight.

In all, hundreds of release mechanisms need to work perfectly in order for the telescope to succeed. Like nothing weve done before, said NASA program director Greg Robinson.

Retired astronaut-astronomer Steven Hawley is more stressed over Webb than he was for Hubble, which he released into orbit from space shuttle Discovery in 1990. Thats because Webb will be too far away for rescuing, as was necessary when Hubble turned out to have blurry vision from a defective mirror.

Spacewalking repairs by astronauts transformed Hubble into a beloved marvel that has revolutionized humanitys understanding of the universe, casting its eyes as far back as 13.4 billion years. Its now up to Webb to draw even closer to the Big Bang 13.8 billion years ago, its infrared vision keener and more far-reaching than Hubbles is in the shorter visible and ultraviolet wavelengths.

NASA is shooting for 10 years of operational life from Webb. Engineers deliberately left the fuel tank accessible for a top-off by visiting spacecraft, if and when such technology becomes available.

When he released Hubble, "I never would have believed that it would still be going strong almost 32 years later, Hawley, now professor emeritus at the University of Kansas, said in an email. I hope that in 32 years well be able to say that JWST did as well.

Taste Food On Your TV Screen, Thanks To Japanese Professor's Invention

TOKYO, Dec 25: A Japanese professor has invented a television screen that has the capacity to make you taste the flavours appearing.

During the pandemic, we all learnt the art of virtual interaction. As people stayed and worked from home to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus - our real lives extended to the virtual screen. From Zoom calls to virtual dance classes, we have done it all. Binge-watching television shows on repeat were also among our favourite ways to relax while staying at home.

But can you imagine if the food you saw on television could actually be tasted through your tastebuds as well?

A Japanese professor has invented a prototype lickable television screen that will be able to contribute to a multi-sensory viewing experience.

Professor Homei Miyashita from Meiji University in Japan is the brains behind this one-of-a-kind project. In May 2020, he was in the news for creating a digital handheld device that could create all kinds of taste sensations when you would lick its tip. And now, he has created a new device that can imitate the flavours of food.

'Taste the TV' or TTTV is the name of the unique device which can create the taste of a particular food. The way it functions is that it uses a combination of 10 flavour canisters to recreate the flavours offered by the dish on your screen. This flavour sample then rolls out on a hygienic film over the flat-screen TV for the viewer to try.

Professor Miyashita has developed this technology over the past one year with a team of about 30 students. They have together produced a variety of devices related to flavours, including the TTTV. The Japanese professor says that a commercial version of the TTTV device would cost about USD 875 or INR 65,700 approximately.

The device could potentially be used to impart distance learning to chefs and sommeliers, as well as interactive quizzes and games involving food. It would also be useful in the post-COVID era, as people could taste restaurant food from the comfort of their own homes and television screens.

"The goal is to make it possible for people to have the experience of something like eating at a restaurant on the other side of the world, even while staying at home," Miyashita said.

India's Harnaaz Sandhu Brings Home Miss Universe Crown After 21 Years

EILAT, Dec 13: India's Harnaaz Sandhu is the new Miss Universe, 21 years after Lara Dutta won the title in 2000.

Ms Sandhu represented India today at the 70th Miss Universe 2021, held in Eilat, Israel.

The 21-year-old from Punjab claimed the crown edging out Paraguay's Nadia Ferreira and South Africa's Lalela Mswane.

Ms Sandhu was presented the crown by Andrea Meza, former Miss Universe 2020 from Mexico.

Before the Chandigarh-based model, only two Indians have won the title of Miss Universe - actors Sushmita Sen in 1994 and Lara Dutta in 2000.

On being asked what advice she would give to young women on how to deal with the pressures they face, a composed Ms Sandhu said, "The biggest pressure the youth of today is facing is to believe in themselves, to know that you are unique and that's what makes you beautiful. Stop comparing yourselves with others and let's talk about more important things that's happening worldwide."

"This is what you need to understand. Come out, speak for yourselves because you are the leader of your life, you are the voice of your own. I believed in myself and that's why I am standing here today," Ms Sandhu said with aplomb.

Ms Sandhu, who started her journey in pageantry at the age of 17, has previously been crowned Miss Diva 2021, Femina Miss India Punjab 2019 and was even placed in the Top 12 at Femina Miss India 2019.

She has also worked in Punjabi films like "Yaara Diyan Poo Baran" and "Bai Ji Kuttange".

Burj Khalifa sized asteroid heading towards Earth, says NASA

WASHINGTON, Dec 4: An asteroid as big as Burj Khalifa is approaching Earth and NASA has dubbed it as hazardous. Two others are as big as the Eiffel Tower and Taj Mahal.

It’s almost the end of the year and we already have heard a number of reports about many asteroids having passed dangerously close to the Earth. However, there are still other asteroids that are approaching Earth. Big rocks, known as asteroids and comets in space travel around the Sun and sometimes change their paths due to the gravitational force of planets. These space rocks rarely collide with Earth, but when they do, it's a disaster.

That's why, even when an asteroid with a diameter of over 150 metres travels close to Earth, NASA identifies it as a potentially hazardous one and keeps a close eye on it. In this last month of the year, not just 1 or 2 asteroids, there will be as many as 5 potentially hazardous asteroids with diameters ranging from 84 metres to 1.3 kilometres that will approach Earth. Few of them are of the sizes of the Eiffel Tower and the world’s largest building Burj Khalifa. Here is the list of the upcoming asteroids that are approaching Earth.

Asteroids in December 2021
4660 NEREUS

4660 Nereus is a 330-meter-diameter asteroid that will fly past Earth on December 11 at a distance of 3.93 million kilometres. According to the report, it is nearly the size of the Eiffel Tower. Despite its distance being ten times that of Earth and Moon, the asteroid has been classified as "potentially hazardous" since it meets all of the NASA requirements.

163899 (2003 SD220)

This another massive asteroid is around 769-816 metres in diameter which is expected to zoom past Earth on December 17. It is as big as the size of the world's tallest building Burj Khalifa. The asteroid 163899 will approach Earth at a distance of 5.4 million kilometres, which is 1.3 times closer than the asteroid range identified by NASA as potentially dangerous.

2016 TR54

On December 24, the 2016 TR54 asteroid, which is estimated to be 100 to 230 metres in diameter, will pass near the Earth at a distance of 6.4 million kilometres.

2018 AH

Around 84-190 metres in diameter, asteroid 2018 AH will pass by Earth on December 27 at a distance of 8.9 million kilometres. Its size is bigger than the Taj Mahal.

2017 AE3

2017 AE3, a 120-260 metre asteroid, is the third largest asteroid to pass by Earth this month. The asteroid, which is expected to pass by Earth on December 29, might be larger than the Statue of Unity. The asteroid will most certainly pass Earth at a distance of 3.1 million kilometres, which is under the safe range.