Move over Hubble: Why the James Webb Space Telescope is such a big deal

It’s been decades in the making and has faced more than its fair share of delays, but if all goes as planned, the James Webb Space Telescope will launch within the coming days.

Astronomers have been eagerly anticipating the launch of this telescope — and with good reason.

The $10-billion telescope is the largest and most powerful ever sent into orbit. Building upon the discoveries of the famed Hubble Space Telescope, it will peer back into a time when our universe was in its infancy and will also reveal much more about the atmospheres of exoplanets.

As of now, the telescope — also known as JWST or just Webb — is expected to