Fixing the Interferometer on the JWST

The JWST can take very high-resolution pictures by combining light in a specific way using an onboard piece of Australian hardware — however, the first observations revealed this observing mode was not working as expected. In this talk, I’ll explain how we fixed the Australian observing mode on JWST, and how we convert these complex measurements into high-resolution images of moons, black holes and exoplanets.

Max Charles

I am a PhD Student at the University of Sydney researching methods for modelling optical space telescopes and reconstructing high-resolution images of interesting astrophysical scenes, such as protoplanetary disks forming new exoplanets and active galactic nuclei. When I clock off from my research, I am also an amateur (in the true sense of the word) astrophotographer with my own gear, a passionate songwriter, and I love a rack of pool..

How two Sydney students are sharpening the view from the James Webb Space Telescope - The University of Sydney