2024 · Q33
Which one of the following statements is true for James Webb Space Telescope launched in December 2021?
General KnowledgePhysics
- AIt orbits the Sun, about 15 lakh km away from the Earth.
- BIt orbits the Earth, about 15 lakh km away.
- CIt is stationary in space nearly 10 lakh km away from the Earth.
- DIt revolves around the Moon nearly 3.5 lakh km away from the Earth.
Explanation
The James Webb Space Telescope was launched in December 2021. It does not orbit the Earth or the Moon; it orbits the Sun at the Sun–Earth Lagrange point L2, about 1.5 million km (15 lakh km) from the Earth, where it keeps a stable position relative to the Earth and Sun. This location keeps its instruments cold and shielded for infrared astronomy. The answer is (A).