NASA launches astronomical wide-angle lens into space – what will the Nancy Grace Roman Telescope capture, and how does it differ from James Webb and Hubble?

Illustration of Roman Space telescope in space.

NASA has launched the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope (Roman), the latest of its galactic imaging devices, which will help astronomers unravel the mysteries of dark energy, exoplanets and infrared astrophysics.

The telescope blasted off today, nine months earlier than initially planned, from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, propelled by a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket.