The “First Light” Machine: The James Webb Space Telescope

A lecture by Dr. Eric P. Smith (Program Scientist, James Webb Space Telescope, NASA, Washington DC, USA)

Lecture in English

With introductory words by director general and CEO
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Christian Köberl, NHM Vienna, and Keith Anderton,
Acting Deputy Chief of the U.S. Mission to International Organizations in Vienna

Free entrance with this invitation.


The James Webb Space Telescope will be the world’s next premier space science observatory. Webb will seek the first stars and galaxies that formed in the early universe and explore distant planets around other stars, writing a new chapter in cosmic history. Webb will solve mysteries of own solar system, look beyond to seek habitable worlds around other stars, and help us better understand our place in the universe. Webb will have extraordinary scientific potential, complementing the science achieved by numerous missions including the Hubble Space Telescope. Webb is an international program led by NASA with its partners, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).  We will explore the technology behind this incredible observatory and see what exciting plans the science community has for its first observations after launch.