NASA’s planned James Webb Telescope gets an un-“canny” makeover from the minds of Northrop Grumman engineers.

At top, some 3,234 cans of food make up a scale model (top) of the James Webb Telescope, an infrared space observatory slated to launch in 2013. A full-size, non-canned food replica of the planned space observatory appears at bottom.

Comprised of about 2,348 pounds (1,065 kilograms) of canned food, the edible James Webb Telescope measures six feet by 10 feet by five feet (1.8 meters by three meters by 1.5 meters). About 20 engineers spent 80 man-hours building the sculpture at Northrop Grumman Space Technology in Redondo Beach, California in honor of National Engineer’s Week of Feb. 19.

Northrop Grumman is building the actual James Webb Space Telescope as well. When complete, the real space observatory will weigh 12,000 pounds (5,443 kilograms) and measure 80 feet (24 meters) long, 40 feet (12 meters) wide and tall.

The cans used to construct the smaller model were later donated to the local food bank Amigos Sin Barreras in Redondo Beach.

• NASA Delays JWST Launch by 2 Years To Stem Cost Growth
• James Webb Space Telescope: Diving Deep into the Universe
• All About Telescopes

-- SPACE.com Staff

Credit: Northrup Grumman/NASA.