Why NASA chose gold-plated mirrors for the James Webb telescope

The James Webb Telescope — the largest and most powerful device of its kind ever launched into space — has already yielded some breathtaking images of the early universe. While the telescope itself is a technological wonder, one of its most aesthetically grabbing elements is its 6.5-meter primary mirror, made of 18 hexagonal mirrors, coated with a plating of gold. The James Webb Telescope. Credit: NASA And, yes, that’s real gold — about five men’s wedding rings worth of the metal. We had a question: why? What reason is there for the mirror to be gold-plated? Well, we have the…

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