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#JWST needs to be very cold to avoid emitting light at the same IR wavelengths as its faint celestial targets.

It does so by hiding behind a huge sunshield, cooling radiatively into the blackness of space.

Although vindicated by the observatory's astonishing performance today, it was a struggle to convince the community of this approach.

This article by Harley Thronson tells of the key role played by Tim Hawarden & other UK astronomers, & the POIROT & Edison concepts.

https://www.thespacereview.com/article/4877/1