In an article recounting a visit to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the author describes encountering a highly sensitive space instrument known as a coronagraph, nicknamed “starglasses.” To enter the clean room where the coronagraph is housed, visitors must wear protective “bunny suits” and adhere to strict contamination protocols, prohibiting items such as makeup, lotion, or scented products. The author experienced a virtual reality simulation to understand the coronagraph’s complex assembly and learned about the dedication of the development team.
The coronagraph, now prepared for deployment on the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, is capable of blocking intense starlight and adjusting its mirrors in real-time to capture precise cosmic images. This technology will enable the Roman telescope to detect faint, Jupiter-sized planets and potentially observe clouds on these worlds. If successful, the instrument could eventually be used to search for distant, Earth-like planets that might support life. The Roman Space Telescope, named after NASA’s pioneering chief of astronomy, aims to investigate dark matter, dark energy, and the universe’s structure, complementing the discoveries of the Hubble and James Webb Space Telescopes. Source