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“Deep Sky” Film Explores the Miraculous James Webb Space Telescope

April 18, 2024

NASA's “Deep Sky” IMAX movie puts the results of 20 years of work on the James Webb Space Telescope front and center.

What you'll learn:

How the James Webb Space Telescope was built.
What is viewable with the James Webb Space Telescope?
Where to see “Deep Sky.”

The latest IMAX spectacle, "Deep Sky," directed by Rachel Harmon, offers an unprecedented cinematic journey into the depths of the universe following the creation of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). This is an 8k adventure, a fitting clarity to showcase what took 10,000 people from 14 countries over 20 years to build. If you want to know how it all came together every step of the way, this film will deliver.

Featured in the IMAX documentary “Deep Sky,” JWST’s mid-infrared view of the Pillars of Creation strikes a chilling tone. Thousands of stars that exist in this region disappear—and seemingly endless layers of gas and dust become the centerpiece. The detection of dust by Webb’s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) is extremely important. Dust is a major ingredient for star formation.

Seeing real images from deep space is stunning, sure. For me, it's the near miracle of the JWST and its creation. The film does cover some of the major challenges and issues along the way, but I don't want to spoil the fun.

A little preview: There are seven motors on each of the 18 mirror panels. Five layers of sun shields have to unfold perfectly, or it wouldn't be long before everything fails; they measure 21.197 × 14.162 m (69.5 × 46.5 ft.). How about a solar arm deploying ahead of time? It's a work of engineering magnificence.

By combining images of the iconic Pillars of Creation from two cameras aboard JWST, the universe has been framed in its infrared glory. Webb’s near-infrared image was fused with its mid-infrared image, setting this star-forming region ablaze with new details.

“Deep Sky” will be playing at IMAX theatres on Friday, August 19, 2024. It comes in at a stout 40 minutes, well worth seeing on those seven-story tall IMAX screens.

Check back here next week. I had a chance to speak with the principal advising telescope scientist, JWST President Matt Mountain, about some behind-the-scenes experiences working on the JWST.

For a further taste of what to expect, here's the trailer for the movie:

About the Author

Cabe Atwell | Technology Editor, Electronic Design

Cabe is a Technology Editor for Electronic Design.

Engineer, Machinist, Maker, Writer. A graduate Electrical Engineer actively plying his expertise in the industry and at his company, Gunhead. When not designing/building, he creates a steady torrent of projects and content in the media world. Many of his projects and articles are online at element14 & SolidSmack, industry-focused work at EETimes & EDN, and offbeat articles at Make Magazine. Currently, you can find him hosting webinars and contributing to Electronic Design and Machine Design.

Cabe is an electrical engineer, design consultant and author with 25 years’ experience. His most recent book is “Essential 555 IC: Design, Configure, and Create Clever Circuits”

Cabe writes the Engineering on Friday blog on Electronic Design.