The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has been called Hubble’s successor, and in terms of how it could revolutionize astronomy, perhaps it will earn that title. But JWST’s true lineage lies in the invisible realm of infrared astronomy, a type of light that can unlock the secrets of star birth, the chemistry of exoplanets, and the dawn of the age of galaxies. Meet JWST’s predecessors, get to know the beauty of the infrared sky, and see how JWST’s amazing design will change the way we see, and comprehend, our universe.

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