Free levelled English reading practice. Read for meaning first, then use the full Speed Reading tool to time yourself and track your progress.
The James Webb Space Telescope, launched in December 2021, was designed to observe the universe mainly in infrared light. Its large segmented mirror and sensitive instruments allow astronomers to detect faint, distant objects. Webb operates near a gravitationally stable region about 1.5 million kilometres from Earth and uses a large sunshield to keep its instruments cold. Looking far into space also means looking back in time, because light from distant galaxies may have travelled for billions of years before reaching the telescope. Webb is therefore able to study galaxies from the early universe, investigate how stars and planetary systems form, and analyse the atmospheres of some planets beyond our solar system. Its deployment was unusually complex: the telescope had to unfold its sunshield and mirror after launch. Successful operation required many mechanisms to work correctly, making Webb both a scientific observatory and a striking achievement in space engineering.
Comprehension questions
What kind of light does Webb mainly observe?
Why must its instruments be kept cold?
Why does looking far away also mean looking back in time?
