James Webb Space Telescope

The Secrets of the Universe Are Buried in Darkness

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The terrifying immensity of the firmament’s abyss is an illusion, an external reflection of our own abysses, perceived “ in a mirror.” We should invert our eyes and practice a sublime astronomy in the infinitude of our heart… If we see the Milky Way, it is because it actually exists in our souls. —Jorge Luis Borges

Floating a million miles away, eighteen honeycomb mirrors on the James Webb Space Telescope (Webb) collect the light of the universe and transmit home an image of raw darkness. While it’s not light we have evolved to perceive, we’re becoming quite adept at seeing in the dark, at discovering extraordinary things hidden from these naked eyes.