1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:04,000 It is pretty fitting that these are called cosmic flames. 2 00:00:04,000 --> 00:00:08,000 These packets nothing but a bunch of different 3 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:12,000 Lithium makes red, barium makes green and so on. 4 00:00:12,000 --> 00:00:16,000 And then they in these really pretty colors. 5 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:20,000 Burning chemicals is a legitimate way to find out what something is. Chemists 6 00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:24,000 call it the “burn test”. All elements actually give off a signature when 7 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:28,000 they are put into an excited state. 8 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:32,000 Here we are witnessing what happens in a fire. The James Webb Space Telescope will be able to read 9 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:36,000 the same signatures from unknown stars and planets. 10 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:40,000 How Does 11 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:44,000 Webb Seek Elements? 12 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:48,000 I’ve been taking you through different elements that are built into the Webb Telescope 13 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:52,000 Gold reflects infrared light well 14 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:56,000 and will not corrode, beryllium is lightweight, 15 00:00:56,000 --> 00:01:00,000 silicon is a tried-and-true semi-conductor. 16 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:04,000 music 17 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:08,000 Isn’t it just poetic, that Webb is designed to detect elements? 18 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:12,000 Webb uses 19 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:16,000 a device called a spectrograph, it works by splitting light, with a prism. 20 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:20,000 We can tell what element we see based on the pattern from the 21 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:24,000 light through the prim. Every element releases light at a 22 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:28,000 different wavelength. When the light is split by a prism, black bands appear 23 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:32,000 due to the transition between energy states – these are called 24 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:36,000 absorption lines. The lines always appear in the same part of the rainbow 25 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:40,000 which is why we call them “atomic fingerprints”. 26 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:44,000 I’ve made my 27 00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:48,000 own simple spectrograph to give you an idea of what Webb sees. 28 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:52,000 And the object that makes it work is this relic 29 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:56,000 of technology – It’s a CD! 30 00:01:56,000 --> 00:02:00,000 CDs and DVDs 31 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:04,000 use the same principal as another ancient devise – the record. 32 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:08,000 They use tiny tracks of bumps to convey information. 33 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:12,000 Records are 3-D representations of the sound and a CD uses 34 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:16,000 raised binary points. 35 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:20,000 The point is that these discs have a very fine groove pattern that physically 36 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:24,000 splits light – that’s why they have a rainbow or iridescent color. 37 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:28,000 music 38 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:32,000 music 39 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:36,000 music 40 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:40,000 music 41 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:44,000 Webb’s spectrograph also uses really fine grooves to split light. 42 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:48,000 The Near Infrared Spectrometer, called NIRSpec is designed to take 43 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:52,000 spectra for up to 100 objects at once! 44 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:56,000 usic 45 00:02:56,000 --> 00:03:00,000 music 46 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:04,000 You don’t need to go all the way to space to see the spectra for different objects 47 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:08,000 my little homemade spectrometer can tell me 48 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:12,000 what the primary element different light sources use. 49 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:16,000 Neon lights get their name, because the light 50 00:03:16,000 --> 00:03:20,000 uses neon gas to get its color. 51 00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:24,000 Actually, the neon only refers to the one color, 52 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:28,000 these types of lights use other gases make more colors. 53 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:32,000 Let me show you the fully spectrum of colors 54 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:36,000 that we can see based on a combination of these 55 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:40,000 different elements. 56 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:44,000 Webb’s spectra really give more information than just elemental makeup. 57 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:48,000 They can also tell astronomers about the temperature, mass 58 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:52,000 speed and density of the objects as well. 59 00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:56,000 music 60 00:03:56,000 --> 00:04:00,000 All elements have a cosmic start. Smaller elements 61 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:04,000 are forged in the heat and pressure of a star. 62 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:08,000 Anything larger than iron, needs the powerful force of a supernova, 63 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:12,000 or colliding neutron stars. 64 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:16,000 These elements may stay as dust clouds or eventually coalesce 65 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:20,000 into asteroids or new planets characterized by their original elemental makeup. 66 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:24,000 The spectra Webb will see not only tells us what elements we’re 67 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:28,000 looking at but the warmth and density of the bodies as well. 68 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:32,000 So we might detect some distant bio signatures! 69 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:36,000 music 70 00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:40,000 Webb’s build may use a scarce element like beryllium for its mirrors, 71 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:44,000 but will that cosmically occasional 72 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:48,000 help us find something far rarer? 73 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:52,000 Like gaseous carbon, oxygen or nitrogen? 74 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:56,000 Can we determine where to find 75 00:04:56,000 --> 00:05:00,000 the building blocks of life on other worlds? 76 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:04,000 music 77 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:08,000 music 78 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:12,000 music 79 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:16,000 music 80 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:18,950 music 81 00:05:18,950 --> 00:05:18,955 music