Will the new James Webb Space Telescope be able to make out the moon lander?

[SpazzyMcgee]

I have heard several questions about whether or not Hubble can get an image of the moon landing sites and the usual answer is that Hubble can't make out anything smaller than 70m on the surface of the moon. The only images of Pluto and Ceres are pretty fuzzy two... so how will the James Webb Space Telescope compare in to Hubble in this respect.

PS - I whole heartedly believe we landed on the Moon, I'm just curious =)
Wait... it only receives infrared images? I though Hubble did both? Is it just going to be really good at seeing infrared and not have anything do do with the visible spectrum?

I really liked the high quality images Hubble produced of the universe. I am sure they mesmerized plenty of kids into the field of science... are you saying JWST won't be able to do the same?

[alfajoe127]

dont forget that JWST is an infrared telescope, not an optical. Also, its angular resolution is about the same as hubble :\ I know, its sad but the truth is JWST is not there to succeed hubble, its just another telescope comparable to hubble in terms of angular resolution, not a new generation super dupper telescope as they say

[PRS ? Thace 4EVER]

Well...other than the fact that this is an infrared observitory which means it will give "funny" images...the main issue with using large telescopes to look at the moon is that while they could do it, they just can't focus in enough. It would be like using a home telescope (like 6") to look at an ant on the ground in front of you. It could potentially give amazing resolution, but it just simply can't focus in enough to do it. However, because it is located at the L2 point, far from the earth, perhaps it may have some advantage, but again, it would be like looking for an ant. Our best bet for photos would be a probe equipped with high powered cameras to fly over the landing sites.
By the way, 100% believe we went as well.
=) good question anyway.

[Michael Steen]

I can't imagine any telescope EVER being powerful enough to resolve the lunar lander.
Since the Moon is 2159 miles in diameter, that means a diameter of 11,399,520 feet. At an angular diameter of 30 minutes of arc, that's 379,984 feet per arc minute. That's 6,333 feet per arc second.
A telescope would have to have a resolution of about 1/300 of an arc second to even have a CHANCE of seeing the lander (assuming it's about 20 feet wide).
Find me a telescope, now or ever, with that kind of resolution!