Space telescope’s ‘golden eye’ opens to complete last major hurdle

Engineering teams celebrate at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore (Bill Ingalls/Nasa via AP)

Nasa’s new space telescope opened its huge, gold-plated, flower-shaped mirror on Saturday, the final step in the observatory’s dramatic unfurling.

The last portion of the 21-foot mirror swung into place at flight controllers’ command, completing the unfolding of the James Webb Space Telescope.