Video showing the James Webb Telescope separating from the rocket. He watches

The European Space Agency (ESA) has released a video of the exact moment the James Webb Space Telescope separated from its transport module, the Ariane 5 rocket.

The recording, made by Arianespace, shows the moments when the device detached from the vehicle, at 9:47:20 Brasilia time, During Christmas Saturday, 25 Dec.

The images also show, about 69 seconds later, the telescope arming its solar panels, capturing the rays of light that power it.

On December 31, NASA released a time-lapse (time lane image sequence) showing the space telescope’s trajectory, moving away from the region of the Moon’s orbit, toward the stars of Orion. The monitor took two and a half days to cross the documented path.

Each photo documented in the process took 10 minutes, all taken on December 28.

To illustrate the path, scientists from the North York Astronomical Society (NYAA) combined the images with another satellite image. This image is in color, showing the path in a white line.

At the end of the interval, it is possible to see the moment when the James Webb Telescope collides with one of the Lagrangian points, L2.

This region, according to NASA, is a spatial point where celestial bodies remain with less gravitational influence than the Earth and the Sun. The position is best suited for spacecraft and sensors to remain “parked” in space.

Under less effects of space motions, such as the shift of the Earth, the monitoring device can reduce fuel consumption.

This Tuesday (4), the telescope passed another important milestone by fully deploying the heat shield, a five-layer canopy necessary for observing the universe, NASA announced.

Each layer of this heat shield is the size of a tennis court and is essential to protect scientific instruments from the sun’s heat. Each layer began to unfold on Monday.

James departs from the European leg of French Guiana web It is the latest technical advance in space observation since Hubble, and is designed to advance discoveries in diverse areas of astronomy. The product is a partnership with NASA, who – which and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).CSA).

“[O telescópio James] web We will see more in our origins: from the formation of stars and planets, to the birth of the first galaxies in the early days of the universe”, says the European Space Agency in a note. (AFP)