Artist’s impression of the James Webb Space Telescope. Image credit: NASA/ESA/CSA

The world of astronomy is eagerly awaiting the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope later in December. The telescope is not without controversy, but is set to revolutionise observations of the cosmos.

Prof Pete Hargrave was responsible for building a calibration source for MIRI, the Mid-Infrared Imager, while Dr Tim Davis will be observing nearby galaxies to study the roles of black holes. Meanwhile, Dr Mikako Matsuura is hoping to study the final stages of stars’ lives, while Dr Subi Sarkar will be using the full range of wavelengths the telescope’s instruments will capture to understand the composition of atmospheres of planets beyond our Solar System.