JWST on the PBS program NOVA

On Wednesday evening (7-13-2022) I watched this entire show: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hF-7eKtzAHM

and didn't fall asleep !  see https://wb9kzy.blogspot.com/2022/05/the-safest-sleep-aid-ever-invented.html

 

A very interesting overview of the history, launch and "first light" use of this new infrared telescope.

Parents are happy, kid and dog don't care about JWST

Dali-esque gravitational lensing

Dali knew ?

One thing they didn't mention was the fact that the James Webb Space Telescope mirrors are made of Beryllium.  Apparently the polished surfaces are plated with Gold, 500 to 600 atoms thick, but mostly the mirrors are Beryllium.  Beryllium is the fourth element on the periodic table, light, strong, stiff and resistant to expansion/contraction with heat.  But when I hear Beryllium I think the of Heathkit SB-230 amplifier.  

Why ?  Because the heat sink of the SB-230 (it was a conduction cooled amplifier, no fans) had a Beryllium oxide "Thermal Link" that was poisonous if it were damaged.  The Feb. 1976 QST review doesn't mention this so I'm not sure where I heard about it but for some reason (maybe it's the "black box" warning in the manual) I wouldn't want anything to do with an SB-230 :)

black box warnings are always ominous

The JWST isn't going to Beryllium poison anyone because even if the metal does oxidize and flake off (seems unlikely in the vacuum of space) it's a million miles away from the nearest human :)

Best Regards,
Chuck, WB9KZY
http://wb9kzy.com/ham.htm