#2564: Sunshield explain

[The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is floating through space, shown in white on a pitch black background. The two mirrors are seen in front of the sunshield, which is kite shaped. A white line goes from the telescope up to two lines of white text, connected with a small white line.]

JWST: Okay, universe-

JWST: Smile!

[Same setting, but now only a small thin white line goes up to a line of white text representing a sound made by the telescope.]

JWST: Click

[Same setting, but now it turns out that a small bulb on the front of the telescope is a flash light. A bright flash glows from the bulb, turning most of the panel white. A cone on the left side is blocked and kept pitch black by the telescope’s sunshield. The light fades a bit towards the edges of the picture, giving the light cone a rounded appearance. Thus the image actually looks a lot like Pac-Man in the process of eating the telescope.]

[Caption below the panel:]

Astronomy fact: The purpose of the JWST sunshield is to protect the Sun and the Earth from the telescope’s powerful flash.