Not So Heavy Metal
http://www.dearastronomer.com/
From the Hubblesite/JWST page:
The primary mirror segments of the Webb Telescope, along with its secondary and tertiary mirrors, are not made of glass like most mirrors on Earth. They are made of beryllium, a relatively rare metal that is only mined and processed in one place in the western hemisphere. Behind the Webb’s Mary Estacion travels to the West Desert of Utah to take a look at what it takes to extract this unique ore.
Ray Sanders is a Sci-Fi geek, astronomer and blogger. Currently researching variable stars at Arizona State University, he writes for Universe Today, The Planetary Society blog, and his own blog, Dear Astronomer
2012-12-04 08:05:36
Source: http://www.dearastronomer.com/2011/01/18/not-so-heavy-metal/
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