Princeton University Astrophysical Sciences 2024 Spitzer Lecturer

The launch of James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has already proven to be a defining moment for this generation of astronomers. Like its revolutionary predecessor Hubble Space Telescope, JWST has been artfully used by astronomers worldwide to build a legacy of observational programs that form a treasure trove for scientists studying the distant cosmos. I will present a review of JWST as a facility, highlighting its capabilities and instruments, and then present how programs like the JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey (JADES) were designed and executed to deliver new windows on the universe that leverage the advances the JWST instruments and observatory provide. I will also show the “lifecycle” of JWST NIRCam data, from their acquisition to the release of final data products, and the challenges presented by the analysis of the deepest infrared view of the universe to date.