Which one of the following statements is true for James Webb Space Tel

Which one of the following statements is true for James Webb Space Telescope launched in December 2021?

[amp_mcq option1=”It orbits the Sun, about 15 lakh km away from the Earth.” option2=”It orbits the Earth, about 15 lakh km away.” option3=”It is stationary in space nearly 10 lakh km away from the Earth.” option4=”It revolves around the Moon nearly 3.5 lakh km away from the Earth.” correct=”option1″]

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UPSC CDS-1 – 2024

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The true statement for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is that it orbits the Sun, about 15 lakh km away from the Earth.

JWST is positioned at the second Lagrange point (L2) of the Earth-Sun system. This point is approximately 1.5 million kilometers (or 15 lakh km) away from Earth, in the direction opposite to the Sun. JWST orbits the Sun at L2, maintaining a relative position with respect to Earth and the Sun.

Being at L2 offers significant advantages, such as a stable gravitational environment requiring minimal fuel for station keeping, and allowing the telescope’s sunshield to block light and heat from the Sun, Earth, and Moon simultaneously, keeping the telescope’s mirrors and instruments extremely cold for optimal infrared observations. It does not orbit the Earth or the Moon, nor is it stationary in the absolute sense (it orbits the Sun).

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