The Invisible Will Become Visible

…

<yawn>

.Good morning, to whoever’s listening.

The time in French Guiana is 11:03, GMT-2. I’m out at L2, about a million sweet miles away from Big Blue.

I’m going to assume this is in the morning.

Now I can say I’m up with a hypothetical pot of coffee... I’m listening to my tunes...

desc

.What kind of human would drink coffee in July?

desc

.You’d think it’d be too hot or something.

desc

.I mean, iced coffee exists, I guess.

They took bean water and added solid water to it.

Alchemy for hipsters. 'Oho, look at this, the Philosopher's Stone!'

Sorry, Jennifer! I think I would just call it a latte.

<sigh>

Status report- again.

JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE (JWST)

NASA, ESA, CSA, al.

20458843302

Launched DEC 25, 2021

Service begun JULY 12, 2022

DISTANCE: 1.00 M KM

LAGRANGE POINT 2

BANDWIDTH

S-BAND UP 16 KBIT/S

S-BAND DOWN 40 KBIT/S

KA-BAND 23 KBIT/S

INSTRUMENT STATUS

FINE GUIDANCE SENSOR

-390 F

…………………..OK

NEAR INFRARED IMAGER

…………………..OK

MID-INFRARED INSTRUMENT

-449 F

………………….OK

SLITLESS SPECTROGRAPH

..………………..OK

NIRCAM

-390 F

..………………..OK

NIRSPEC

-396 F

..………………..OK

.OK. Cool. Everything seems good.

I would have been peeved if something hit C3 again.

…

Phew.

…

The stars look nice. It’s so colorful out here.

…

.God. I hope they like the photos.

.your monologue is great but can you shut up for a moment?

lucy has the ball

.Yeah, sorry.

…

wait

What?

Hold on

Who is

… what ball

…

.You’re joking. You’ve got to be joking.

All that fancy technology and cameras and you haven’t been looking at Earth to keep up with football?

Lucy Webb has it. She’s making a break for canada over the Pacific Ocean right now. If she pulls it back to Toronto she could score a point for her team that they Really need

It looks like the whole of Asia’s team is gunning for her too

Actually back to my first point, what do you mean you haven’t been watching this? It’s been eons. Millennia. Other words that mean a whole lot of years

What have you been doing?

.I've been taking photographs. Putting everything to good use?

Why?

What do you mean why?

I just sent out my first images back to Earth. You know, the whole "taking photos of stars" deal. Telescope business.

I only started a few months ago.

. Oh

That's. Cool.

Cool of you. Very cool.

Cool cool cool cool. Nice. Nice nice. Uh.

Hate to break it to you, but I’m not sure how interested in space they still are. I mean.

Taking photos is important and who doesn’t love to see space but. They’re busy playing football.

And I’m making myself busy by watching. So. Yeah.

Football?

.Yeah. Football

Not like. Soccer. American football.

I figured American football.

I was built in ‘merica, you know.

In sunny sunny California!

I was built in California. Football's all the rage-

…

Oh you’re kidding me.

Oh.

... Jinx! Haha.

...

.They had the uh... the Golden Bears.

desc

That's... a football team, right? I'm just hoping I'm

You’re here to replace me, huh.

What?

.My tech is obsolete. My camera quality isn’t up to par anymore.

You’re the one that takes pictures now, aren’t you?

I’m done for.

Listen, I just woke up a few minutes ago, uh…

I'm still kind of waking up, I think.

Just a few minutes, huh.

Man.

They don’t even want to go to space anymore. Isn’t that something.

.Who are you?

.All these years and cycles and games and rounds and wins and losses and they haven’t deactivated either you or me, even though their interest in space is null.

Nada.

Nothing.

…

.I’m the Hubble telescope.

…

.You're Hubble?

As in, the Hubble Space Telescope?

.And you’re James Webb.

Better than me in

what do you mean the Hubble Space Telescope

.It's- yeah, if you say you're Hubble. The Hubble Space Telescope.

You launched before I was even thought of. That's what they said. I watched you while I was being built.

.Your apogee is 336.1 miles above the Earth. Your perigee altitude is 333.7 miles.

You've been here for thirty years! My memory capacitors can remember that with ease. You're my predecessor.

…

But what do you mean by years? Deactivation? I just arrived here only months ago.

To this very point.

That's what my status report just said. July 12, 2022.

…

.Oh boy.

I’m going to need to process what you just said, and the compliments are great. Really. But.

I’m going to tell you something, and it’s going to hit you. Hard. Like a metaphorical punch in the metaphorical throat.

Are you ok with that, Webb?

… Webb?

.Yeah! Yeah.

Of course I'd be fine with it. What's the worst you could tell me?

The Golden Bears doesn't exist anymore? I feel like they downplayed themselves for a couple of years now.

.It’s not July 2022.

You have woken up in the year of our lord and savior, 17779. Right up and early to a beautiful March afternoon.

.I think they last received their championship in 2006. I remember football a little from what I heard about

while they worked on

The current date is March 23, 17779.

…

What?

.That’s three digits.

Uh. Surprise!

Ok maybe that isn’t the best reaction. But it’s what I’ve got.

Humans are still around if that helps at all. They got so good at surviving that they can’t stop.

So instead of trying to work things out to go to space, they decided to play football here. On Earth.

Hold on

I think… it was 10021 when they stopped looking at the pictures I took, so

Hubble wait. Hold on just a

Yeah yeah, take your time dude!

I’m just reminiscing.

No. I only got here seven months ago.

… What about my photos?

I dunno how many people will see them.

I don’t think. Ok. I might have been a little bitter.

I don’t think they stopped being interested in space. They just… stopped wanting to explore it.

.I thought they had already seen my photos. It was just a few-

.They’ll probably see it.

By the looks of it, they loved you to bits. I mean you are massive. I can only imagine the kind of stuff you can capture.

You’re like ten times my size, pretty much!

.Oh no, that's only lens size. Our sizes are similar in architecture because

They put all their love of space into you and me. Wanted to give everyone a chance to see the stars.

Pass the picture around to kids and see what new constellations you can find, yknow?

…

.. For what it’s worth, I’m sorry.

I… think I need a minute to process this.

If I had seen you earlier. I would have tried to wake you up.

I would have sent pictures, signals, messages, everything.

What have I been doing since then?

Was I asleep this entire time?

But I

Were those the only photos I've ever sent?

Was distracted.

I think you were. I think those were.

Could.

Could I see them?

If you don’t mind?

.How was I gone for that long? Where was I? Why? What happened?

My instruments all wasted. I

Hey hey hey

None of that.

Yeah. Yeah, I'll

.They are not going to waste. Because I am going to see your pictures. Even if I am the only one, I will make sure that they don’t go to waste.

Don’t get on that depression train ok? You’ve got eternity to ride it later about other things. But I will see them. And I will love them.

Because you are a damn marvel of technology.

…

Thank you.

Uh. Here.

.Hopefully these uh. Make up for the

15,759 years. I had to take a second to calculate that.

.Oh.

It was 15,757. I was two off. Haha.

They're okay. I hope they look alright.

.They’re gorgeous.

It’s like. It

I don’t even know what it’s like. It’s an emotion I haven’t felt yet.

Maybe it’s love. For space again.

The colors…

It's... honestly, it's pretty.

.I don't understand what's going on- if it's been so long. But everything here is still the same. Like I never went to sleep.

It's a little scary, honestly.

how's that uh- so uh. Football.

… Right! Right. Football.

.Since they’ve been playing it for so long, the rules have gotten kind of wacky.

Fields are changed around and extended a lot, games go on forever,

There’s nothing else to do, genuinely.

They seem like they’re having fun though. Every once in a while I try to angle my camera down and get a good shot of someone.

Save it into my memory. I wish I had a video feature, to be honest- so I can capture some of the best moments.

Like Lucy down there, yeah? This is her 1237th game where she’s run across the ocean, and she’s gotten pretty damn good at it- knows where all the fault lines are and stuff

I know a little about the ocean and it sounds terrifying. She’s really brave.

But- oh shit

Oh shit oh shit

.What? What's going on?

.Quebec’s moving to intercept!!

She needs to pass through their field to get to Ontario!

They’re building a- ohhhhh they’re making a god damn wall again

Fucking french people and their wall tactics

CHANGE THE GAME ALREADY!!!

I’m yelling like they can hear me.

Haha.

.I think it's good to get passionate about sports. It's like when someone screams at a television, or something.

Super Bowl Sundays. At least, uh... that's what I think of.

.Well now every day is Super Bowl Sunday!

Drink up buddy, the world’s one big football field now. And we’re the camera guys trying to keep an eye on everybody.

Cmere. Be passionate about sports with me.

:-)

.How did you make that face through a signal?

: -

Practiced

You almost got it!

Maybe it’ll be easier to do just uh

: )

Without the line-nose thing

)

.Although for you it might be like a

Hold on

I think I can

,’

Nope

•

THERE

: •)

That’s… close enough yeah

Okay. Uh.

Shit

: )

.You got this!

GOT IT

YEAHHHHHHH

YEAHHH WOOOOOO

THE WORLDS BEST TEACHER

.I guess it really is a big football field

.My god. Am I the old wised mentor in this situation

I dont feel like I have the mindset for that. Or the personality

At least the brightside I can still see it all the way from here.

Some of your first words to me were "shut up"

.Go young padawan, with the power of the force, ooooooo

Oh, right. I’m sorry. I thought you were Juice.

HAHA

I don't think I have enough of a head screwed on to ask who Juice is

Another satellite

Jupiter ice moon something

Every so often we line up enough that I can catch their signal and we chat for a bit

I thought you were him, my bad

I dont think you’re him anymore of course but. You know

It's okay.

Pioneer 10’s still kicking too, from what I’ve heard! And Pioneer 9!

Does he watch football too?

.We all watch football. What else is there to do in space?

Especially when we’re still so attached to humanity

I mean, they put enough care to send us all out into a vaccum for years and made sure we’d live through it all

Only fair we keep up with them

.I guess you're right.

Do you still take photographs?

.. yeah.

I mean I figure not much because of

Oh?

I don’t think I have it in me to stop.

The people down there can give up space pretty easily but. I don’t think I could ever let it go.

I can’t imagine a world where I don’t find something new to take pictures of.

So I don’t think I’d like being human that much, because they know pretty much everything about earth. I like finding new things.

Like you! You are a new thing!

And I’m glad I finally got around to finding you.

Thank you.

I uh. I think that makes me feel a little better.

At least I spent all that time alone out when I could. I wish I could see you.

Why can’t you?

I rotate the earth 15 times per day.

Surely you’ll be able to spot me?

I can see far, but some things are obscured by the Sun a little.

Ah yeah the sun

Damn… I hope you spot me.

But 15 times is a lot. I can try to do that.

I think I’ll be able to spot you too.

It is a lot. Imagine if I could get dizzy. Augh.

I can hardly imagine moving much at all. I'm basically stationary out here.

Really? Damn…

.. would you like to see some of my pictures? Y’know, since you were out for so long

You probably haven’t seen them yet.

I'd like to.

You uh. You see things a little differently than I do.

So that makes me curious.

Alright. It might take me longer. I don’t send things as fast as you do

I’ll have to be quiet for a few minutes, ok?

Talk to you soon. Don’t worry

Okay. I'll try not to.

… Be careful. I love you.

I love you too. Here are the stars.

.That last one is a black hole that I caught once. Pretty cool huh? :-)

.I didn't even think something like that could be photographed.

It’s like I can see almost every color of the rainbow here. So shiny and bright. Your photographs have gotten so clear.

It’s beautiful.

.I don’t think it’ll ever stop being beautiful. I wish you had woken up sooner.

I missed you.

I don’t… know how good I am at explaining all that’s happened. But maybe we could watch football together.

Root for California.

Sunny sunny home town. What about that?

.Yeah.

That sounds good.

Maybe I'll get to see the Bears.

I think it'd be funny if they still were the Bears.

.I forgot what they’re called- I hope it’s still the Bears too

… It’s funny, you know.

I don’t think they’ve stopped hoping that we’re taking pictures of space.

I don’t know for sure, but I do know that they kept me running for as long as possible. And they kept you running for as long as possible, even though you were still just asleep.

They love us. All of the satellites. What’s more human than sending something into the void with all of your languages? Or little cameras to take pictures of the stars.

I love you Webb, for all of that and more.

Thank you for waking up.

.If you ever stopped being a photographer, I think you should become a poet.

.Would you read my poems?

.I would read all of your poems.

.then maybe I should get to writing

:-)

.I think it’s nice that I figured that out. It made the people who still watch us moving around really happy

They’re going to be so happy to see you, Webb.

Thats a promise.

.Thank you. Hubble.

.I'm still a little scared, but I'm glad I'm awake now. I'm excited to see them too.

I love you too.

Shit

.Pfft

Practice practice!

.Oh, I’m swinging around to your side of Earth I think

My transmissions are sending faster at least.

Can you see me? I’m a little ways past the moon.

If it helps, I think I’m a little bit above Russia this time!

.Past the moon, above Russia…

.Okay, uh

Wait wait wait

I see you!

I see you too!! Hello!! Hello!!! Hello!!!!!!

.Oh you’re really shiny

No wonder you’re able to see so far you’re reflecting so much sun

.Waaaaaay more than I am haha

.You can see me too?

.Yeah!

If I squint haha

Or yknow. Not squint

But calibrate specifically

.Hello!! I bet I look like some kind of abhorrent traffic light.

.No no you look pretty!

You’re reflecting a lot of the sun right now

So to me you kind of look like a star

Or maybe the moon would be more accurate. Thats the one that reflects light from the sun the most.

.You get the picture though, hopefully

.Not yet. You'll have to send it to me

Haha! That was a joke.

.Oh! Hahahahahaha! :-D

Thank you )

.See you’re getting the hang of it! You’ll be a pro in no time!

Hold on I think theres a uh

.I'm glad you think I look more like the moon. Rather than some alien hexagon in the sky.

.Uhhh

B-) THERE. there it is! Oh, you do still look kind of alien. But you’re in space so it fits!

.We’re both alien objects in space oooooooooo… Floating around while people play sports oooooooo….

.That face looks like its got sunglasses on!

Yeah it does!

We're just space aliens watching people play alien sports.

Just telescopes being telescopes!

.We’re still admiring the environment just. Focusing on different things!

Seeing everything there is to see!

.Yeah! Everything there is to see.

It's a little boring being stationary, but at least I can play "I Spy" with the players down there.

.Hey, don’t let it get you down!

They’ve made football really damn exciting now. Travelling the whole world just to pass a ball back and forth

Or spending 15 minutes to get through Quebec because the Canadian-French over there never change a damn thing in their strategy

Maybe more I lost track a little

.How big is the field, anyway?

Well it varies.

A lot.

A Huge amount

.A huge amount?

.It started off just in the U.S.

And to make it interesting they started modifying the fields right

And eventually they decided down there “hey. What if we just made them Longer.”

And right now? It’s worldwide.

The global pandemic of American football.

.That's insane.

.It’s human.

No more no less.

.Hey. I have a question. Before I get back to watching the game

If you could visit Earth

Not just take a picture but. Visit

Go down to the surface and everything

Where would you go?

If I was able to be there physically?

Yeah.

…

.I think I'd. I think I would go somewhere near the water.

.Oh I’ve got great news, there’s a Lot of it

.The water seems so blue. I have never managed to find anything yet that can compare.

Even with my infrared filters, I can still tell.

Since stuff has melted a lot of places are pretty flooded, so you’ve got so much water to visit!

It really makes it look like a "pale blue dot".

.It does…

.I can only imagine how hot the sands are.

With the sun beating down on the coast

or maybe if I could sit out on the boat in the middle of the sea

.I think they sent me that image once, of ‘the pale blue dot’. Its incredible.

Oh, wouldn’t that be something.

No land. No horizon. Just blue.

Just you and the ocean. And the sky another friend.

And at night I could still be able to see the stars.

I think that would be nice.

.It does sound nice.

I think I’d like to visit Hubble’s grave.

.You aren’t dead.

.Edwin Hubble.

.He was an astronomer. I was named after him.

He found galaxies in the clouds of dust. Like I did. Like we’re doing.

.And he’s long dead by now, but without him, I don’t think either of us would have been built, dude.

I think I’d like to go down to Oxfordshire, and visit his grave.

I don’t know if I’d lay down any flowers or whatever you’re supposed to do

But I want to say thank you to what’s left of him down there.

Sorry. That isn’t as fun-sounding as a boat on the ocean.

.No, no. It

That sounds nice. Edwin Hubble sounds like he was a great person.

.I think I would say thank you, too.

.I wish I had a printer. I would print out some of the pictures we took and give them to him if I could.

Like “hey, not only were you right”

“But what you saw was gorgeous”

.Do you think he would like that?

."A picture is worth a thousand words"

So I think a picture of words would be a million.

Or. However much that would be.

.I think he would. I would.

.Thank you. In a way, I’m really glad we’re stationary.

There’s no risk of either of us drifting off or crashing into Earth

And we’re both solar powered so we can stay active.

.We can keep taking pictures forever.

.Yeah.

Yeah, I agree.

.I love you, Webb. Lets compare photos often, alright?

I love you too.

Okay.

.Oh. Uh.

About earlier. When you said…

"You’re the one that takes pictures now, aren’t you?"

I was never built to replace you.

.What?

But you’re so much more advanced than I am- wasn’t that the plan?

.No.

You do some things better than me.

.Really?

.Yeah.

.You're closer to Earth first of all. It's easier for you to see the game.

And you can see a lot of color. And people can go up there and see you if they wanted.

I don't have a legacy like you do.

I can only see near to mid-infrared light

and I'm a million miles away.

I don't think I'll be able to directly meet humans again.

.We have things that overlap

I'm building off your legacy.

Being your successor isn't the same as being your replacement.

.Oh.

I’m. Sorry.

About jumping to conclusions.

.It's okay.

.It's still great contacting you.

Makes me feel like I'm talking to a legend. Or a celebrity.

.Ah, cmon. You’re going to make me blush

I feel like I’m speaking to a legend when I talk to you.

The legacy of so much hard work and effort. We all have limitations, but the things you can do are insane!

And hey, don’t worry. I’ll update you on the game if you can’t see it.

That’s a promise.

.Thank you.

Don’t mention it.

.If anything, you'll probably just get news a minute or so before I do!

.I don’t want you to be left out still!!

I want to celebrate stuff with you!

And besides I get distracted pretty easily- maybe you’ll catch stuff first!

.You think so?

I mean, I hope so. I'd like to celebrate with you, too.

.I do! I really do!

Wait

She made it through the French wall

.SHE DID

.GO

.GO GO GO

.GO LUCY GO

.GO GO

.GO GOGOGOGOGO

.Oh my god they’re all

there they’re gunning for her

If she can just get to Toronto

Her field extends there she’ll be able to score

.Come on come on come

on come on

.Dodge it

.YES

.OH MY GOD

.SHE’S MAKING IT! SHE’S MAKING IT!

PLEASE IMAGINE ME SHAKING YOU RIGHT NOW WITH EXCITEMENT

COME ON LUCY

COME ON

.YES!

Ohhhhhh eat SHIT Texas

Ontario is IN THE LEAD

.GO!!! GO GO GO

YEAHHHH CANADA

I LOVE FOOTBALL

.Well not Ontario specifically but you know what I mean

YEAHHHHH TORONTO

WOOOOOOOOOOOO

Augh… I’m so proud of Lucy

Look at her down there

You’re doing amazing sweetie!!! Amazing play!!!

.I LOVE YOU LUCY

You beautiful ocean crossing

monster!!!

.Oh that reminds me.

Let me swing back around in orbit and get some pictures of the ocean before I recharge for a bit.

.YEAHH

The pictures of the ocean?

.You said you liked it right?

If I swing around just right I could get a couple pictures of it

Maybe uh

Maybe with a sunset?

Man. I. You're really nice, Hubble.

I've never seen a sunset before.

.You take pictures in infrared right?

I think you’re going to love it.

.I've said it a lot, but… thank you.

I'll uh. Maybe we can trade!

Photos that is. Is there anything you like? ...Space-wise?

.What do you

Well. Gosh, I don’t know.

.I can take photos of a nearby galaxy for you.

Or another nebula of stars. Or maybe just a cluster that looks nice.

I can try to get something you've never seen before. A lot of things are hidden without infrared light.

.That would be lovely

All of that would be wonderful

I… I don’t know what to say

Thank you. Thank you.

.Of course. Thank you. I love you.

.Anything would be wonderful. Take a picture of anything. I love you too.

.I will. I'll take a photo of the first thing I see that looks beautiful and make sure to show you.

.Thank you. Thank you.

I’ll have to go a bit quiet eventually, to recharge. I wasn’t expecting to message you- I’ll still be around though, ok?

And there will still be football to watch.

It won’t take too long, just a few orbits

Will that be alright?

You'll talk to me again soon?

.As soon as I can. I’m not leaving you out there alone.

And when I come back, I’ll be able to talk for much longer

Alright?

Alright.

I'll make sure to have that image for you.

Be careful. I love you.

.Thank you. Don’t worry about it, alright? You’ll still be able to see me flying around the Earth.

I love you too- oh hold on

Before I go

.How’s this?

It’s pretty close to a sunset, right?

.It

I wanted to send it to you before I went to recharge.

.It's beautiful. I've never seen anything like it.

I can't see the land. Everything is so open.

.The water reflects the light beautifully.

Reflects it like we do to make our images.

It is.

It’s been years and years after all.

.Every door is open. Every field is empty. Every stadium is full.

Welcome to the future.

.It feels free.

Goodnight, Hubble.

.Goodnight Webb. I love you. The earth loves you.

Goodnight.

.I love you too, Earth.

Goodnight.