Naming of the JWST

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texgeekboy
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Naming of the JWST

Post by texgeekboy » Mon May 25, 2009 2:53 pm

I didn't see this as a topic, so I thought I would post it.

I'm disappointed that the telescope was named for a NASA administrator. I read his bio, and he undoubtedly did great things in moving NASA during its early years. However, naming the telescope after a non-astronomer seems wrong. The NASA site for the JWST even says he was not a scientist. I think the man should have been honored with a building name, or even an entire NASA complex, not something like the telescope.

I know it's water under the bridge, but I just wanted to state my opinion.
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aristarchusinexile
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Re: Naming of the JWST

Post by aristarchusinexile » Mon May 25, 2009 3:01 pm

texgeekboy wrote:I didn't see this as a topic, so I thought I would post it.

I'm disappointed that the telescope was named for a NASA administrator. I read his bio, and he undoubtedly did great things in moving NASA during its early years. However, naming the telescope after a non-astronomer seems wrong. The NASA site for the JWST even says he was not a scientist. I think the man should have been honored with a building name, or even an entire NASA complex, not something like the telescope.

I know it's water under the bridge, but I just wanted to state my opinion.
They named Queen's Anne Lace after someone and we don't know if she was even a gardener, or an embroiderer. I'm sure some of the regulars on this site would willingly name a new breed of Daffodill the "Aristarchusinexile" even though I don't breed plants. Furthermore, I've never seen a bridge or river named "Waterunderthebridge" .. so ..
Duty done .. the rain will stop as promised with the rainbow.
"Abandon the Consensus for Individual Thought"
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texgeekboy
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Re: Naming of the JWST

Post by texgeekboy » Mon May 25, 2009 3:12 pm

aristarchusinexile wrote:...Furthermore, I've never seen a bridge or river named "Waterunderthebridge" .. so ..
uh...ok.

Your first comments did provide a historical precedent for gardening. Are you aware of any precedents for NASA naming similar things?
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aristarchusinexile
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Re: Naming of the JWST

Post by aristarchusinexile » Mon May 25, 2009 4:05 pm

texgeekboy wrote:
aristarchusinexile wrote:...Furthermore, I've never seen a bridge or river named "Waterunderthebridge" .. so ..
uh...ok.

Your first comments did provide a historical precedent for gardening. Are you aware of any precedents for NASA naming similar things?
The 'Moonwalk'? Jackson was, after all National All Styles Assumer. Other than that, I'm not aware of any.
Duty done .. the rain will stop as promised with the rainbow.
"Abandon the Consensus for Individual Thought"
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bystander
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Re: Naming of the JWST

Post by bystander » Wed May 27, 2009 3:08 pm

Wikipedia: James E. Webb
NASA Bio: James E. Webb
JWST Bio: James E. Webb

NASA JWST Home
STSci JWST Home
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neufer
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Re: Naming of the JWST

Post by neufer » Wed May 27, 2009 5:27 pm

They could have name it the James Edwin Space Telescope.

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