ScienceNASA's Roman telescope reportedly activates its main camera and detects first starlight
A September 16, 2026 post says Roman switched on its 300-megapixel infrared camera while traveling toward Sun–Earth L2. It also reports completion of the Coronagraph Instrument's first major checkout.
TLDR
A September 16, 2026 post says NASA activated the Roman Space Telescope's Wide Field Instrument and detected its first photons of starlight. The post describes the initial test image as deliberately out of focus. It says the 300-megapixel infrared camera is designed to capture a patch of sky larger than the apparent full Moon in one exposure, with image sharpness comparable to Hubble. The account also reports that Roman completed the first major checkout of its Coronagraph Instrument while heading toward Sun–Earth L2.
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NASA's Roman telescope reportedly activates its main camera and detects first starlight
A September 16, 2026 post says Roman switched on its 300-megapixel infrared camera while traveling toward Sun–Earth L2. It also reports completion of the Coronagraph Instrument's first major checkout.