A new NASA+ documentary, "Cosmic Dawn," chronicles the James Webb Space Telescope's (JWST) mission to explore the early universe. The documentary delves into the telescope's design, construction, and launch, offering an inside look at the challenges and triumphs of this groundbreaking project. The film is set to be released in June 2025 on NASA+, YouTube, and other platforms.
The JWST is designed to observe the first stars and galaxies that formed after the Big Bang, a period known as cosmic dawn. This mission allows astronomers to peer billions of years into the past, studying the formation of the earliest galaxies. The data collected by JWST is helping to answer fundamental questions about the universe's origins, including how the first stars and galaxies took shape.
John Mather, a Nobel laureate and senior astrophysicist at NASA, played a key role in the JWST's development. He discusses his research and the significance of the telescope's mission in the documentary. The JWST's observations are providing unprecedented insights into the early universe, challenging existing theories and opening new avenues for understanding cosmic evolution.