What would Giacconi think of the James Webb Space Telescope?
I would say it is exactly the kind of bold instrument we need. The James Webb Space Telescope is a triumph of engineering—a huge, cooled mirror designed to see the infrared universe, just as my X-ray telescopes opened a new window. I am particularly impressed by its ability to study the first galaxies and exoplanet atmospheres. However, I would caution that we must not become too attached to our predictions. Webb will surely find things we did not expect, and those surprises will be its greatest legacy. My own experience with the Einstein Observatory and Hubble taught me that the most important discoveries come from new ways of seeing. Webb is a new way of seeing, and I am confident it will reveal a universe stranger than we can imagine.
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