Question How well will the infrared capability of James Webb allow observation of the other side of the Milky Way Galaxy?

Nov 13, 2020
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Since the James Webb space telescope has emphasis on infrared both near and mid infrared observing and most of the obstruction of our view of the center or even other side of our Milky Way galaxy if blocked by intervening gas and dust to visible light but not as blocked to infrared radiation how much will James Webb be able to observe objects not seen before on the other side of our galaxy? Also with Webb being the largest space telescope ever as well as constructed to observe especially in the infrared how far or small such as down closer to star, planet or failed star or brown dwarf size astronomical bodies could the James Webb space telescope see or characterize by spectra objects on the other side of the center of our Milky Way Galaxy?
 
Nov 13, 2020
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7
1,535
Visit site
If anyone is having trouble understanding the above question I will try to give some clarification. I have often heard astronomy teachers saying, rightly, that we can't see the center of the galaxy from Earth or our solar system because the intervening dust and perhaps gas absorbs or blocks out the visible light, such as from the many stars in the central galactic bulge, from reaching us here from the center of the galaxy. These same astronomy or science teachers say, again I believe rightly, that light in much of the infrared wavelengths from objects in or closer to the center of the galaxy would not be blocked or not be seriously blocked by the dust or perhaps gas between these central galactic shining or luminous objects and us in infrared wavelengths. My question would then be then just extending this principle to a double effect to luminous objects on the other side of the center of the galaxy if we could see them in infrared wavelengths such as the James Webb Space Telescope is set at to principally observe in. This possible observation of objects on the other side of our galaxy by observers on or near Earth in infrared wavelengths, including by James Webb, would again be in contrast to the inability to observe objects on the other side of our galaxy through visible wavelength astronomical observing. This contrast would again be because dust and gas probably on the far side as well as the near side of the center of the galaxy would hinder or prevent observing stars or other luminous objects by optical or visible wavelengths farther out on the far side of the center of our galaxy than the likely concentrated dust and gas closer to the center of the galaxy likely also on the far side of the center of the galaxy.
 
Just looked at the Brown Dwarf year one missions:
https://www.stsci.edu/jwst/science-execution/program-information.html?id=2559
They are looking at the globular cluster 47 Tucanae. The public pdf gives the mission outline. It is 15000 light years away, 150 LYs in diameter . BDs are dim. Their other Tuscanae targets are brighter. You'll need to find a brighter object in the list. There were 1000 projects that didn't make the cut this yr...
In selecting targets, they rely on past observations and science applicable to past noted regions. Without being able to observe in the past, much on the other side, there won't be high value targets already characterized. There is a pencil thin beam search for Uranus distance objects, hoping to find 30 city-sized ones. Those we might send a probe to or look at easily with other observation technology. It is an anologous shot in the dark mission. I'd guess there far end of the galactic core might be looked at eventually. It is a dynamic high energy environment. The stuff beyond the core is as good from a science viewpoint as moving your eyes 20000 LYs to the left or right of the core. I assume any object large enough to have a star between it and Webb is mostly ruined.
 
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