On April 24, 1990, a revolutionary feat of engineering that would soon forever change how the Earth sees its universe was launched. 35 years ago, NASA launched its Hubble Telescope into low-Earth orbit, allowing it to see far into space, gathering data and beautiful images that teach us more and more about the universe.
Unlike telescopes on Earth’s surface, placing the Hubble above Earth’s atmosphere allows for an uninterrupted view of all that surrounds the planet. Over the past 35 years, the Hubble telescope has made over 1.7 million observations, gathering data from over 55,000 targeted sites, adding up to over 400 terabytes (approximately 6,250 times as much data as the average storage on a phone) of information.
Technology this advanced does not come from nowhere, and the engineers at NASA are to be thanked for the achievement that is the Hubble Telescope. Due to Earth’s gas-filled atmosphere, light coming in from outer space appears distorted on camera, resulting in images and data that are not quite accurate.
To overcome this problem, the Hubble Telescope was simply placed above the atmosphere, resulting in clear, crisp images. The Space Shuttle was used to transport the Hubble Telescope into low-Earth orbit. The Space Shuttle could be launched into orbit, carrying the Hubble Telescope within, and then safely return to Earth after the telescope has been placed in position.
In 1997, NASA received the official funding and approval from Congress to build the Hubble. From here, engineering and assembly were the only obstacles standing between humankind and a completely new point of view of the universe. Since it is a Cassegrain reflector, light hits the telescope’s main mirror and is then reflected to a second mirror. From the second mirror, light is reflected into a hole where the light then goes into cameras and various scientific instruments such as spectrographs for data collection. Since the main mirror is so large (94.5 inches across), it can detect light 10 billion times fainter than any human eye could see.
Besides being a stunning and inspiring feat of aerospace engineering, the Hubble Telescope has accomplished so much while sitting 320 miles above Earth for the past 35 years. From detecting the first elements from the early stages of the universe to confirming the existence of supermassive black holes and that one day the Andromeda Galaxy will collide with the Milky Way Galaxy, the Hubble Telescope has led to constant and countless scientific discoveries.
All these revelations of information have led to the writing of over 21,000 scientific papers and over 1.2 million publications referencing those original papers. Currently, every astronomy education book includes knowledge gained from the Hubble Telescope. Not only has this incredible telescope given us the ability to learn more about our universe, but it has also allowed us to witness the awe-inspiring beauty of it. With a total collection of over 1.6 million images, the farthest observation being of an object 13.4 billion light years away.
Since April 24, 1990, the NASA Hubble Telescope has been a source of inspiration for many; whether from its impressive engineering, breathtaking images or its assistance in scientific breakthroughs, there is no shortage of awe-inspiring aspects about this telescope. The telescope is a reminder that even though Earth is our home, it is so incomprehensibly small compared to the infinite vastness of our universe and the space that lies beyond. As we celebrate 35 years of scientific innovation and discovery, we may always be reminded to keep looking up.
Contact Emma Eischeid at [email protected]
