Elements of Webb
Short animated explainers on how the James Webb Space Telescope works, from NASA and STScI.
Elements of Webb: Gold, Part 1
Sep 24, 2026 · 3 min
Why Webb's mirrors wear a coat of gold, and what that does for infrared light.
Elements of Webb: Gold, Part 2
Sep 24, 2026 · 4 min
The second half of the gold story: how a few grams cover a mirror the size of a house.
Elements of Webb: Beryllium, Part 1
Sep 24, 2026 · 3 min
A rare, light, expensive metal turns out to be the perfect stuff for a primary mirror.
Elements of Webb: Beryllium, Part 2
Sep 24, 2026 · 4 min
Where does beryllium come from? From a mine in Utah to a mirror in space.
Elements of Webb: Beryllium, Part 3
Sep 24, 2026 · 3 min
Where does beryllium really come from? The answer starts inside stars.
Elements of Webb: Kapton
Sep 24, 2026 · 3 min
The thin polymer film that makes up Webb's five-layer sunshield.
Elements of Webb: Carbon
Sep 24, 2026 · 2 min
The carbon-fibre backplane that holds eighteen mirror segments perfectly still.
Elements of Webb: Helium
Sep 24, 2026 · 4 min
The coldest-boiling element of all, and how Webb uses it to chill its infrared camera.
Elements of Webb: Salt
Sep 24, 2026 · 3 min
Why an infrared telescope needs lenses made of salt crystals.
Elements of Webb: Super Black
Sep 24, 2026 · 3 min
The blackest coating on Webb, and why its radiator needs it.
Elements of Webb: Seeking Elements
Sep 24, 2026 · 5 min
Built from these elements, Webb now hunts for the elements of the universe. The series finale.
