The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) specializes in infrared astronomy. Not only is it the most powerful space telescope ever made, but a whopping $10 billion was spent in constructing it.
The James Webb Space Telescope’s purpose is to float through the cosmos and discover the mysteries of the universe. This involves deconstructing the Big Bang theory to several other theories that have baffled curious minds for years. According to Space.com, it was launched on an Arianespace Ariane 5 rocket on December 25, 2021, from ESA’s launch site at Kourou in French Guiana, at 7:20 a.m. EST.
On July 12, 2022, at 10:30 a.m., NASA released pictures from the James Webb Space Telescope for the first time. A NASA live event showcased magnificent images of the Cosmic Cliffs in the Carina Nebula, the Southern Ring Nebula, and Stephan’s Quintet. Furthermore, the revolutionary device analyzed the atmospheric condition of WASP-96 b, a hot gas giant exoplanet. Interestingly, in 2023, IMAX released a 40-minute-long documentary titled Deep Sky, that showcased the brilliance of pictures captured by the James Webb Space Telescope.
Per IMAX’s official website, its synopsis reads, “Deep Sky follows the high-stakes global mission to build JWST and to launch it into orbit one million miles from Earth. In an attempt to answer questions that have haunted us since the beginning of time. Where did we come from? How did the universe begin? Are we alone? 13 billion years in the making. Deep Sky reveals the universe as we have never seen it before. Immersing audiences in the stunning pictures beamed back to earth by NASA’s new telescope. And capturing their vast beauty at a scale that can only be experienced on the giant IMAX screen.”
The director of Deep Sky is the Oscar-nominated American filmmaker, Nathaniel Kahn.
Deep Sky returns to IMAX theatres for Earth Day 2024
According to Space.com, the aforementioned documentary has returned to IMAX theatres to celebrate Earth Day 2024. This one-week affair commenced on Friday, April 19, 2024, and will conclude on Thursday, April 25, 2024. To buy tickets and visit one of its screenings, click here.
Deep Sky is Nathaniel Kahn’s fifth film, in which the subject is a space telescope. In an interview with Science Illustrated, he explained that astronomy fascinated him ever since he was a little boy. He recalled having a neighbor who owned an old brass refractor, which several people looked through to get a glimpse of outer space. Using this device, young Kahn saw the moon up close and was mesmerized by its beauty. He was also in awe of Saturn’s magnificent rings.
Nathaniel Kahn stated, “We had a neighbor who was an eye doctor, and he had an old brass refractor – quite a good one – and he would take it out in the evenings and invite people over to look through it. I remember the night that I first saw the moon through that telescope. It totally entranced me.”
He further said, “The craters were so real, you could imagine going there and walking around inside them, and peering over the rim into them. And then to see the rings of Saturn was astonishing. It’s a strange feeling to know that you are actually seeing those rings – not a picture of them, but the real thing.”
The executive producers of Deep Sky are John Turner, Matt Mountain, Sandra Evers-Manly, and Gerry Ohrstrom. Furthermore, its music is helmed by Paul Leonard-Morgan.
