NASA’s Webb Reaches Alignment Milestone, Optics Working Successfully

Wednesday, 16 March 2022

Following the completion of critical mirror alignment steps, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope team expects that Webb’s optical performance will be able to meet or exceed the science goals the observatory was built to achieve.

Planetary Positions

27.04.2024 at 15:11:38 UTC

Planet	Longitude
The Sun	07 Tau 50' 32"
The Moon	19 Sag 59' 22"
Mercury	16 Ari 09' 43"
Venus	27 Ari 43' 26"
Mars	27 Pis 40' 27"
Jupiter	23 Tau 20' 17"
Saturn	16 Pis 20' 14"
Uranus	22 Tau 11' 45"
Neptune	28 Pis 49' 35"
Pluto	02 Aqu 05' 51"

Solar Status

BZ Status:	8
Proton Density:	2.01
Proton Speed:	449.1 k/sec
KP Status:	3.33

Type	Apr 27	Apr 28	Apr 29
Active	35%	35%	25%
Minor	25%	20%	10%
Moderate	10%	5%	1%
Strong	1%	1%	1%
Kp Index Prediction
00-03UT	3.67	3.67	2.67
03-06UT	3.00	3.33	2.00
06-09UT	3.00	3.33	2.33
09-12UT	3.00	3.00	2.67
12-15UT	3.00	3.00	2.33
15-18UT	3.33	3.33	2.33
18-21UT	3.33	2.00	2.33
21-00UT	3.67	2.00	2.33
Solar Activity
Solar activity declined to low levels this period with only C-class flare activity observed. Region 3654 (S08W16, Ehi/beta-gamma) remained the largest region on the disk and exhibited moderate development in the intermediate and trailer spots. Region 3657 (S15W25, Bxo/beta) reemerged with a few rudimentary spots and new Region 3660 (N10E71, Axx/alpha) was numbered. The remaining regions were either stable or in decay. No Earth-directed CMEs were detected in available imagery.
Solar Wind
The solar wind environment was enhanced due to likely CME activity early in the period, followed by the onset of positive polarity CH HSS influences. Total field strength reached a peak of 17 nT and the Bz component was sustained southward through the first half of the period, with a peak deflection of -11 nT observed. During the latter half of the period, the Bz component rotated northward with only brief southward deflections observed. Solar wind speeds were steady between 300-350 km/s until 27/0230 UTC, when speed values slowly increased to a period high of around 550 km/s. The phi angle transitioned from negative to positive at 26/1502 UTC.
Energetic Particle
The greater than 2 MeV electron flux was at normal to moderate levels and the greater than 10 MeV proton flux was steady at background levels.

NASA’s Webb Reaches Alignment Milestone, Optics Working Successfully

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