An astrophysicist's live reaction to the first JWST science images
VloĆŸit
- Äas pĆidĂĄn 11. 07. 2022
- Today I was at the National Astronomy Meeting with 500 of my fellow astrophysicists and we were all excited to see the first science images from the James Webb Space Telescope. I recorded my live reaction for you, and theirs! I'll have a more in depth look at each of the images for you in Thursday's video.
See all the early release science project descriptions and proposals here, the data from which will get released on Thursday: www.stsci.edu/jwst/science-ex...
Keep up-to-date with all things JWST on the NASA blog: blogs.nasa.gov/webb/
---
đ My new merch is available here (with worldwide shipping!): dr-becky.teemill.com/
---
đ My new book, "A Brief History of Black Holes", out NOW in hardback, e-book and audiobook (which I narrated myself!): hyperurl.co/DrBecky
đ Note, USA & Canada hardback out 1st November 2022
---
đ§ Royal Astronomical Society Podcast that I co-host: podfollow.com/supermassive
---
đ Don't forget to subscribe and click the little bell icon to be notified when I post a new video!
---
đ©đœâđ» I'm Dr. Becky Smethurst, an astrophysicist at the University of Oxford (Christ Church). I love making videos about science with an unnatural level of enthusiasm. I like to focus on how we know things, not just what we know. And especially, the things we still don't know. If you've ever wondered about something in space and couldn't find an answer online - you can ask me! My day job is to do research into how supermassive black holes can affect the galaxies that they live in. In particular, I look at whether the energy output from the disk of material orbiting around a growing supermassive black hole can stop a galaxy from forming stars.
drbecky.uk.com
rebeccasmethurst.co.uk - VÄda a technologie
I'll have a more indepth look at each image, explaining what we can see and what science we can do with them, in my usual video posting slot on Thursday. Until then, enjoy this live reaction! EDIT: Correction, the JWST image of the Carina Nebula is labelled as a composite image from NIRCAM & MIRI. It is in fact just the NIRCAM image from JWST.
â„
Dr Becky youâre a rockstar! đ€
Excited to hear your fantastic breakdown of just what we're looking at in these images & can't wait to see what JWST brings in the coming years. Thank you!
Wow, no words
20 quid says u explain redshift again
It's so crazy that I remember when I was 15 I started to hear about the JWST. It really started my interest in everything related to the Universe. And then now they release the first science images on my 38 birthday.
That's a very nice present! Happy Birthday to you! :)
Happy Birthday :D
Yeah, sorry, the package got lost in the mail, and sent to the wrong place, and then it sat in a closet for a few years, and... well, now it's finally delivered.
Hope you like it!
(because we're not doing refunds)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY đ€đ€
I'm 40 and I was just telling my son how I've been waiting for this since I was a teenager. It really was worth the wait. And we're literally JUST getting started with it. I absolutely can't wait to see what the next 20 years bring us.
Happy Birthday!
I have been waiting for 20 years, since I first heard of the JWST project, for these images! I have been fortunate enough to have seen the origin of the Hubble Telescope and all of its discoveries, now I am experiencing this event with just as much enthusiasm as these experts! I can't wait to see what the future brings!
Technology has come a far way. I must say that these pictures literally give me goosebumps and I'm not an astronomer.
I'm now thinking of the telescopes that could be launched if SpaceX gets their starship working. I can't imagine the details one could resolve using telescopes or even fleets of telescopes of that size.
@@e1123581321345589144 I don't know what the average age of the CZcams commenters is, but I assume it leans toward the more youthful demographic. As for me, I am a child of the 1970s and I have always been astonished by the rapid progress of science and technology. As a youth, I was amazed by what advancements the adults in my life had experienced since their childhoods. Now, as an adult, I am equally astonished by the incredible pace of the discoveries that have occurred just during my own life and I completely understand why the average population is incapable of keeping track of the level of knowledge that the human race has attained.
As a child, we didn't know about anything beyond the Milky Way galaxy (though we were pretty sure there was more). Now we not only know but have crisp, clear pictures of billions of other galaxies as well as have mapped out the density of the visible universe for a mindboggling distance in every direction! Where the concept of other planets was once the realm of science-fiction, we now have proof and lots of it! Simple, seemingly mundane changes have vastly altered our world: There were no such things as home computers when I was growing up. Telephones had rotary dials and buttons and were attached to walls by cords. Color television was a luxury that I didn't enjoy until I was in high school. My first experience with a "cell phone" was a car phone hardwired into the center console. Portable television screens were bulky affairs and only available in black-and-white. We certainly didn't have the internet, and I only ever heard about the very first billboards for online communication around 1989. I didn't purchase my first computer or use the internet until around 2000.
I tell the younger generations who get excited about discovery: Hold on to your hats and try to keep up! I am so very envious of what you will experience during your lifetime.
@@psyekl We're not that far apart. I was born in the 80s. I too grew up with rotary phones, and then with internet. But I did learn about other galaxies on television and grew up with Star Trek and Babylon5.
I do agree that the rate of advancement is really astonishing and had only been growing since I was a child. And I do truly believe that we haven't seen the best of it yet.
@@lhood8263 She was referring to the original press release made by Biden the day before, which was accurate.
Iâm neither an astronomer or astrophysicist but Iâve still had a lifelong fascination with the topics. To see professionals in the field as gleefully excited as the fans is well. đ
In the image with the gravitational lensing around it are the highlight for me.
y'all know addison rae did a farting ASMR đ
The duality of CZcamsâŠ..đâ@@unamesareerealventok312
I absolutely love Becky's enthusiasm for science and her ability to explain such complex topics to everyday people without loosing that enthusiasm
You should totes ask her to prom bro
So much better than Biden and Harris who know it's exciting, but have no idea what they are looking at. And the anticipation, "show us the spectra" and those error bars!
Gives me hope
I am here thinking that is really strange and I am searching my memory if I have ever seen anything comparable and closest being with children a few times and it's still not good comparison. Probably cultural difference and I was distracted by it through the video so much that two thirds into the video I realized how little I had paid attention to the subject of it.
@@justskip4595 You were distracted by the enthusiasm?
Scientists having a larger than life experience - so inspiring
It's one thing to see something cool, but it's even cooler to see why it's cool.
I love that moment: when a cute scientist begs to see what it actually looks like, and you have to triple-confirm: you're sure you're ready for this? And she gives you the inevitable, "I've been waiting for years to see this." Then you send one unaltered pic and she's all like: "that's super-photo-shopped. It's not physically possible for it to actually be that big."
When they showed that Southern Ring planetary nebula I cried. I cried the rest of the broadcast. It was so stunning and beautiful. Very emotional moment.
These images are so cool to see, even for a complete layman like myself. I can't imagine how it must've felt for all the people working in the field itself.
Well it's nice to see value going to someone whose taxes paid for the thing
@@engineeringvision9507 yes because famously scientists donât pay taxes lol
@@mookiestewart3776 Astrophysicists do pay taxes, but there are so few of them that their contributions are irrelevant. Meanwhile they demand a vast fleet of telescopes and space based satellites mostly for furthering their own career. Surely we could spend these billions instead on poor people, diversity, and equality?
It was wonderful to see a crowd of astrophysicists and astronomers reacting like pre-teens watching their first fireworks display. đđ đČ
reacting to a scam. they are indoctrinated to believe this and never question it. nasa is a hoax, thank me later
Isn't universe just one enormous fireworks show?
Looked like a bunch of surgeons to me!
@@daniel.lopresti imagination is funny and scary sometimes. With your comment it went with second option :p
No, no it wasn't.
A room full of astronomers watching an astronomy announcement is just the most joyous energy I can imagine. It's a great feeling.
It's like a room full of pandas watching a BBC documentary about bamboo forests
@@leogama3422 lol
as life on earth looks out there
Yeah...you could tell she played it up a bit for youtube though.
But why all the masks?!! It kind of took away the awesomeness.
Your enthusiasm is contagious. I'm stoked for the research this will bring
Looking forward to your next video Dr. Becky and explaining what we can see. I did enjoy your reaction on this one. Keep going I love what you do and how you explain it all.
The spectral resolved images in the Stephanâs Quintet are amazing showing the distribution and velocity of metals! The Boc globules in Carinae in the IR just mind blowing. In the deep field the Einstein lensesâŠthe exoplanet atmosphere component analysisâŠ.itâs a dream come true. Wish I could live forever and see all the cool new stuff!!!!
lol gullible bastard
It's nothing we didn't already know.
cool story bro
@@Paul_85- Not as precise as this, getting more and more accurate readings [as well as pictures] is a tremendous achievement. But keep raining on other people's parades, maybe someday you'll make a friend.
@@LoreCatan haha
Having these images released was a global "stop" moment - where almost the entire world just stopped and "looked up" in a way. Thanks to JWST we now have a much better idea of our place in this universe. Those images are captivating and humbling. In a way it makes all our problems seem a bit smaller.
Not really.I was out & about & around people & no one stopped.
That didn't happen at all.
On the Wikipedia homepage this news event sits right next to the one for the Sri Lankan coup, and I remember thinking there was no better example of the span of human experience
They don't seem smaller
It hasn't told us anything we didn't already know.
I love Becky's enthusiasm and smile. I've been waiting, like many, for years to get to this moment. I was speechless
I haven't been this exited as an astrophysics/astronomy amateur fan in a long time. Thanks for sharing your knowldge freely with us, and I'm DEFINITELY look forward to the Thursday video to learn more about these images!! Keep it up!!
Dr. Becky brings knowledge, enthusiasm and passion while explaining these images to us in understandable terms. The press must recognize her charming talent to all want a moment with her. I hope she gets some rest.
She really is charming!
nasa is a hoax wake up
@@jaconova Recent discovery's show disturbing news that may suggest a possible error or typo in the old testament.
Our investigators are denying the false reports and blaming the Devil for 'Fake News' The Earth was never older than 6000.
Always trust in your faith unless you want to burn in Hell for all Eternity. Only the TRUTH will save you.
When Doc looks in the lens, You can see by her beautiful, wise, eyes that she really sees us in there.
She feels us as if we are the Stars.
We are looking back too!
These images really are incredible! We all knew JWST was going to outshine Hubble, but finally seeing it--after TWENTY YEARS--made our imaginings feel weak by comparison to the real images and data.
I am SO looking forward to the discoveries this instrument is going to make!
Your reaction was so much like mine.. and I am but a lowly astro-imager. I hope you get time on the JWST for your work. Loved the video!
it's like a flip phone camera to today's phones, LOL
And it's harder to get pretty images in infrared than in the visual spectrum
@@lubricustheslippery5028 I wouldn't say that, mainly because most of the best images I have ever seen (or taken) have been outside the visual spectrum.
Your enthusiasm is infectious. Can't wait for more of these pics and defo coming back here for de-brief/analysis!
Thank you Dr! I'll sure be looking forward to your video thursday!
I'm not ashamed to say I cried when I saw the detail in these images. It is absolutely mind-blowing the level of detail we can see! I am beyond excited for the scientists to start digging through this data. We've so much more to come! đ„°
Lol
Same here. When they unveiled the image of the Carina Nebula, I have to admit, I cried. No words can describe how absolutely stunning that image is.
Just to think, these are the first five. The JWST is gonna operate for estimated 20 years. The future of space exploration is looking beautiful.
Lol over reacting much
It really was shoking to watch that level of detail, I never expected such depth, resolution. As a fan of image quality this is such a thrill
I am not ashamed to say that the sycophants who post bs comments about crying over YT videos make me want to đ€ź.
The fact that you claim this reaction to the details in the JWTS images make me want to give up on humanity entirely.
Anything for clout hey Erin.
Those are jaw dropping images. I love the details we can see in the Carina Nebula image so much. And the fact we can see the individual stars for the Stephan's Quintet is mind blowing. I look forward to your video.
I am so excited to have the JWST photos out, but SOOOOO much more excited to have you explain the significance of each of the photos to us! Thank you so much Dr. Smethurst for taking your time to post this!
Lovely to see your excitement and enthusiasm for your field...
The images are incredible!
I think many watching this will float by how hard it is to record in a public location, with peers some you know, and be able to be in the presence of the room and the activity around you, as well as be able to still communicate with a camera for a future audience.
Becky I applaud you for this video. It didn't once feel like we were an afterthought for you to include us viewers during this experience. It felt natural and not awkward.
I can't wait for you to help inform us as to what we're looking at so we can explain it to our friends as well, and share the love of this whole thing!
I've been looking at the images for hours finding all the small details, the deep field imagine, in the lensing, you can see very, very distant stars in the galaxies.
I squinted my eyes very hard and even saw planets!
Man, I wish I knew how to analyze images like that. How did you learn how to do that?
The most fake thing that I've ever seen
@@anthonyman8008 Don't feed troll by responding
Bravo, Dr Becky, your boundless enthusiasm only makes this whole thing so much more exciting and enjoyable and it already is truly mind blowing! Thank you for all your hard work and passion you convey, it really doesn't go unnoticed!! đ
Your sense of wonder and pure joy at these images just makes me smile. I was cheering along with you!
It truly is a mind blowing advancement in the level of detail. I'm really looking forward to your follow up video(s)!
I wish Carl Sagan was still alive. I wonder what his reaction would be. I could imagine he'd be more than delighted and thrilled by the imagery presented, but I'd want to hear what his thoughts are on these phenomenal images.
seriously, your channel is where i go to get my astro fix... i was just waiting for you to drop videos on the new images, instead of going elsewhere.
Your enthusiasm and joy, is just sucking us right in along you, and making this sooooo fun and enjoyable.
Keep up the great work.
I love you. I have seen your love of this subject and the depth of your knowledge and your eagerness to share it, and I love this person sharing all this.
Iâve been anxiously awaiting the images-and your reaction to them. Both exceeded my expectations. Thank you!
Thank you so much for doing these reactions, from you and all the other experts youâre with now. Amazing times, and the enthusiasm around these reveals are amazing. Keep up the amazing content around these JWST releases, Dr. Becky!
Love the enthusiasm and excitement! It has been a very long wait for these images! As Joe Scott mentioned in his video - this is a reason to be happy!
I'm some how more excited for your analysis of those images than I was for the images themselves, because you're one of the few experts that actually takes out of their time to share their expertise with everyone watching (Without an actual expert like yourself to people like me those images are just amazing works of art that make me feel minute, but with your analysis we can actually learn more and understand things better) on top of that you are actually very informative, and we can learn so much from you so I thank you a lot.
Absolutely wonderful to see the pure wonder and joy of astrophysicists being given the tools to learn more about our universe! Simply incredible.
I think the capture of the exoplanet's atmosphere is my favorite so far!
Its probably also the data which has the most meaning so far... The fact we can know whats on an alien planet far away from us, is just amazing. And all that without ''science fiction''-technology. Thats really big. About the other photographs, its pleasing for the eye, but has probably less meaningful data in it, as the spectrum data of the exoplanet.
@@PygmalionFaciebat The Quintet image has some serious science going on there with the interchange of dust and such. The other three though, definitely eye candy.... but very morish.
@@glenchapman3899 You are right about the quintet.. it reveals a lot of scienfitic data. But to read atmospheres of distant planets with the possibility of biomarkers in the future, has more meaning for the mankind, i would say. Thats why i used the word "meaning" in my first posting.
@@PygmalionFaciebat Completely understand. I have seen a couple of exo-planet experts on the verge of hyper-ventilation over the quality of that data.
Thank you so much for sharing these first images! I am absolutely amazed! Keep the videos coming :)
You are absolutely one of the best out there! Your knowledge and enthusiasm are an inspiration! Keep up the great job and keep posting videos.
This was such an amazing experience this image release. I literally watched 5 Streams of it XD. I love it so much! Thank you so much for sharing your enthusiasm for space and astronomy with us!
Beautiful images, glad to have your narrative to help understand how and what we are looking at. Looking forward to Thursday :)
Your reaction made me smile from ear to ear! Just adorable! I, myself, got a little choked up when they revealed the Carina Nebula this morning. Can't wait to see more JWST images!
Thanks Becky, love to see you to get excited over new discoveries.
I was watching livestream earlier with my sister and we just absolutely loved these images, and I was talking to mom about it and she was astonished. I love your reaction and explanation for each of the images as they came in. So excited for more explanations and enthusiasm!
Thanks Dr. Becky! I'm glad to see that real astrophysicists had exactly the same reaction to the images as I did. I'm just blown away. There is so much to try to unpack. Looking forward to your analysis.
I saw you on the australian TV news today. Fantastic job explaining the images to lay people like us. It was inspiring and frankly I was awe-struck at the beautiful images from JWST.
This was just so joyful. I've enjoyed the pictures, but the knowing excitement here is good for my heart
Thank Dr. Becky for working so hard to keep us in the knowđ„°.
This is the beginning of a new age of discovery in human history, I can't wait to see the next 5 years to learn all the discoveries we make
Nearer 20 years - thanks to the flawless launch by Arianespace.
@@kumasenlac5504 nah I meant more along the lines of the more obvious discoveries will be made in the next 5 years, passed that the frequency will diminish as it will take more scrutiny to find things deeper in space
Absolutely amazing. I have been waiting for this for so long.
Thanks so much dr becky for bringing us these mind blowing videos! You and neil tyson are my favorite channels. Its so valuable to put out this info. I can watch these videos all day!
Your excitement is infectious! Love seeing and hearing your reactions!
Fantastic! Can't wait to see your breakdown videos on these first images!
This is the best video you have ever made for many reasons. The biggest and most important is your raw and honest reaction. Love it. I wish I had pursued an education in astronomy. Iâm not as good in math as people think. But science and space in particular fascinate me. I enjoyed watching your excitement, it made me more excited. I cannot wait to see more from JWS
Fantastic to see your enthusiasm about these images and the information within them.
It was really nice how it resolves individual stars in that galaxy.
That was twice as exciting seeing with you and your fellow astrophysicists :) Thank you for the live reactions!
"I don't understand gravitational lensing. Space can be hard but it's super cool." My 8-year-old daughter today.
I want "Space can be hard but it's super cool" on a t-shirt.
I want "I don't understand gravitational lensing" tattooed on my chest in such a pattern that infers it was gravitational lensed
She's right, it's cold out there.
@@_Mentat Don't worry. If anything goes wrong - the temperature will be the least of your concerns
WARP POGON .ATOM,NEUTRON, ELEKTRON PROTON. HIDROGEN .PLUTONIJUM WARP POGON NEUTRONI. ISPRAWLJANJE PROSTORA I WREMENA.POZDRAW NASI HOLLIDAYâ)>* DOC.
I've seen a fair number of your videos Br. Becky and I can honestly say I have never seen you happier or more radiant - pun intended. I am thrilled that I have lived long enough to see this amazing achievement and can't imagine what this means to the scientists & technicians who made it possible. Cheers !!
such brilliant images, thanks for some accompanying explanations! Wonderful adorable live reactions
The detail on those images is stunning. Absolutely amazing. Waited soooo long for this.
*You clearly havenât heard of the Hubble telescope have you? It took the exact same images.*
@@earlaweese Those images weren't nearly as detailed as these ones.
I love your videos and Absolutely love your enthusiasm on the jwst and when you talk about black holes.
Hi Becky your reaction is for me a great reward for all the effort my team and myself as industry project manager for NirSpec development have invested to contribute to this science dream. Keep on showing this and pull everything possible out of this maschine with all you colleagues.
Just finished watching the newest documentary, from concept to July 12th images, that PBS broadcast tonight. You guys did a great job, but you already know that. So many 'kids' in charge đ of various phases, nice to see up-and-coming scientists. (I am a retired scientist.) I was in Houston during Harvey, I had no idea it had a chance to upset the JWST cryo testing.
I was watching live, coolest thing ever! Downloaded all the images in TIF format!
Stunning images, was looking forward to seeing your reaction and I wasn't disappointed . Sleep well and see you on Thursday :)
Thank you Dr.B, looking forward to your future JWST "science distillation" videos as the data is processed and released. It's so exciting. (Not just JWST of course.)
SUPER looking forward to the deep dive. Really exciting time.
So fun to see your reactions. Love seeing experts get to be enthusiastic about their subject.
And I look up at the shy every night and just think to myself, There's more to this then just what I'm seeing! Thank Goodness I have you Dr. Becky to explain something INTERESTING to me. May blessing pour down on you and knowledge.
The NASA CZcams live feed was kind of a hot mess, but the pictures were so worth it! JWST has not disappointed! Love your videos!!!
Your excitement and enthusiasm was worth the wait !!!!
hi Becky, thankyou for sharing the enthusiasm feeling in that room and looking forward for your coming explanation video. Greeting from Indonesia .. Cheers
I had to wipe a couple of tears just watching your reactions. This is beyond what we all expected. Thanks for sharing your experiences Becky!
Lmao
@@Brabant076 y'all know addison rae did a farting ASMRczcams.com/video/Kpl3P7o8XYk/video.html
Astrophysicist reaction videos are officially my favorite reaction videos. Can't wait for more.
I knew you'd be totally fangirling over these images. đ (After the 1/6 hearing today, which was happening at the same time as this event, I skipped the reveals and went to download several of the images for myself.) I'll be looking forward to your more in-depth videos.
This program started half my life ago. I'm *so* chuffed at being able to see the fruits of that work.
Best reaction and analysis. I was waiting for this good of an analysis!
Doc, itâs so awesome to see you guysâ reaction and excitement. Although, I enjoy looking up in the night sky and checking out the stars, that is about it. Iâm a welder and a fabricator and I get the same way over new tech for my field as well. I look forward to what new and wonderful things you all are able to discover. Much love from Raeford NC, USA
The spectral analysis is incredible. The detail is fantastic.
Lots to be excited about.
I've been anticipating this day for some time. My first stop after arriving back from work was right here to see what JWST hath wrought. Off to an amazing start to be sure. And I did have to be there for your reactions. Excellent.
The way you explained is just amazing Dr. Becky ... Really you are doing a great job . Thanks a lot
Dear Becky, receive my heartly congratulations to this historical for science moment. I enjoyed watching your awe and astonishment with the incredible results of JWST! Let's see what new scientific breakthroughs it will give us!
Love your passion Dr. Becky, its contagious! â€ïž
Love y9our enthusiasm and offhand comments on what it is you're enthusing about! I love astronomy and, especially, cosmology, and this layman has been waiting for the JWST impatiently, and..TUH-DAH!!!
Dr. Becky, i am so excited that your so excited!! i think you are as beautiful as the galaxies we saw tonight!! thanks for sharing your reaction, and your right it is breath taking!!
Congratulations. Must have been a legendary moment.
Those pics are fake bro
I've been so excited for the first images from the JWST, that this literally brought me to the verge of tears... And I'm a paleontologist... This is so far out of my wheelhouse, and yet is a happy day in my life. Very excited for more!
It's amazing how Exciting you are.....it makes me more excited too
Thanks Becky. I look forward to tomorrow's insights from you.đ
Iâve no idea what it all means, but your reactions are priceless! I look forward to your explanations!
It's incredible how huge a moment this is and yet it's barely registering for the majority of the world.
Not like it's on the front page of every major news outlet or anything
@@metadata4255 majority of the world and the front of news articles are two different things.
Every time you saw something and gasped I waited to see the pictures bcoz they had to be special and they WERE AWESOME!! OMG I can't wait till ur full video... And to see you on the Sky at Night.. Best week this year đŠ â€ïž
Thanks Dr. Becky. The long wait was worth it. Keep looking up âš. Martin from the Emerald Isle đâïž
Iâm on my 3rd career change and starting to question if this is âthe oneâ already đ. Your enthusiasm for your profession is contagious and very inspiring. One day, iâll be doing something Iâm passionate about.
Btw, these images are AMAZING.
What a amazing night that was. The detail in the pictures is amazing and to see your reaction and that of your colleagues was great
Waiting for this. Thank you for sharing
Thanks for sharing this, Becky!!!
Your face! Such brilliant imagery! Looking forward to your Thursday video so we can dive into the detail a bit more.
Like the rest of you....I just love to see the excitement and awe of professionals when they are astonished by seeing something new and mind blowing. I'm excited as well....but just don't really know what I'm looking at. Thanks Becky for keeping us amateurs informed and included in this science. I'm SO impressed that JWST is working as well as it is!!!
Great way to introduce these new images.. I could feel the excitement here! Nice one đČ
Thank you DB, that was fun and amazing!