Celebrate Hubble’s 35th Birthday with Four New Images from the Orbiting Telescope

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Over many years, one of the major obstacles in astronomy has been Earth’s atmosphere. Although it plays a crucial role in dispersing sunlight for our survival by supplying necessary pressure and oxygen, it can obstruct starlight.

As I gaze into the starry night, I notice the stars seem to dance and twinkle, not just because they’re having a celestial ball, but due to an atmospheric quirk. You see, the light they send our way is like a steady stream of tiny messengers, or photons. However, as these photons journey through Earth’s atmosphere, they get playfully wiggled around at the finish line, causing them to appear twinkling and unpredictable to my eyes.

For More on Hubble

As a space enthusiast, I’m thrilled to share the news: Hubble and JWST have combined their powers to present the most vibrant cosmic panorama yet! Relive your special day with me by peeking at what the Hubble Space Telescope captured on that very occasion. Or how about this? Let’s take a journey through our Solar System’s giant outer planet family, as the Hubble Space Telescope paints their portraits of cosmic grandeur!

Ground-based telescopes employ different techniques such as flexible mirrors and artificial laser guide stars to compensate for atmospheric distortion instantly. These telescopes are frequently installed at great heights, on mountain peaks, in order to surpass a large portion of the atmosphere. The SOFIA Observatory (Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy) takes this a step further by attaching a telescope to a modified Boeing 747 and flying it at altitudes up to 45,000 feet during observations.

To achieve truly crisp images, you might need to follow in the footsteps of The Ark’s crew (currently airing on Peacock) and leave Earth behind. This is why the Hubble Space Telescope, a cherished orbital telescope for decades, has been the epitome of quality for so long. Today, we celebrate Hubble as it turns 35 years old.

The early days of the Hubble Space Telescope

35 years ago, on April 24, 1990, a massive 24,000-pound telescope named Hubble was sent soaring into orbit by the Space Shuttle Discovery. However, when the initial data arrived from beyond Earth’s atmosphere, researchers found that images were not as sharp and clear as anticipated; they turned out blurry instead.

The main mirror of Hubble, while seemingly perfect, had a minor yet crucial imperfection: it was ground too flat, equivalent to less than a human hair’s width at the edges. This flaw caused the mirror to incorrectly focus light. Luckily, NASA had plans for an advanced camera upgrade, scheduled for installation by astronauts in the future.

Prior to launching the revised camera into space, it underwent adjustments using precision optics to rectify the lens imperfection and produce the sharp images that astronomers desired. Additionally, a collection of smaller mirrors were installed to focus the light from the main mirror towards the telescope’s other tools as it was transmitted. Over the course of five service missions to Hubble, astronauts performed upgrades or repairs on various instruments between 1993 and 2009.

Hubble’s 35-year legacy

Among the space-orbiting telescopes that have been deployed recently, Hubble stands out as the most well-known and enduring space-based observatory throughout history.

35 years ago, Hubble Space Telescope unveiled a fresh perspective into the cosmos. The awe-inspiring visuals it captured sparked curiosity worldwide, and the information underlying those images led to unexpected discoveries about distant galaxies, as well as planets within our solar system. This was expressed by Shawn Domagal-Goldman, acting director of NASA’s Astrophysics Division in Washington, in a statement.

The Hubble Space Telescope was initially intended to function for 15 years, offering advanced perspectives of the universe. Surprisingly, it’s been operational for thirty-five years now, albeit showing signs of aging. Some components have malfunctioned, and it currently operates with only one gyroscope, instead of its original three. Despite these issues, it hasn’t lost its ability to capture breathtaking new images, ranging from our nearby planetary neighbors to faraway galaxies.

To mark Hubble’s 35th year in space, NASA unveiled a collection of four stunning images showcasing the remarkable abilities of the beloved telescope. The mosaic you see features highlights such as:

– A detailed view of Mars (top left) from late December 2024, with icy clouds visible at the poles, a vast distance of 61 million miles away.
– At the upper right, the expansive beauty of NGC 2899 is revealed, a nebula born from outflows of radiation and stellar winds emanating from a dense white dwarf.
– The lower left showcases a star forming region within the Rosette Nebula, where hydrogen gas and dust are swirling around majestically.
– Lastly, at the lower right, NGC 5355 can be observed, a spiral galaxy adorned with patches of star formation and a bright bar of stars, gas, and dust running through its center.

Over nearly four decades, the Hubble telescope’s lifespan has granted astronomers the opportunity to observe cosmic objects for extended timeframes, enabling them to witness how these celestial bodies transform and develop. Furthermore, Hubble has delved into various aspects of the universe, such as observing seasonal shifts on solar system planets, studying exploding stars called supernovae, investigating pulsars, and much more.

Through over 1.7 million observations of approximately 55,000 different celestial bodies, the telescope has not only led to countless scientific articles but also revolutionized our perspective and understanding of the universe and our position within it.

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2025-04-24 21:47