0
Hubble Space Telescope
The Hubble Space Telescope, named for noted American astronomer Edwin Hubble, was built by NASA and launched into orbit aboard Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-31) in April 1990. It can observe the visual, ultraviolet, and infrared light spectrums, and is one of four space telescopes in NASA's "Great Observatories" Program.
646 Questions
Why was the hubble space telescope sent to space?
The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) was launched into space to allow it to view the heavens without the distortion of images caused by looking through the atmosphere itself, the degradation of images caused by the dust in the atmosphere, and the interference caused by ambient light on the surface of the earth. All those problems can be partially overcome by a careful selection of a location for a telescope on earth, but putting the telescope in space completely eliminates all of them, except space dust.
The improvement of the image quality allowed astronomers to look at small objects relatively close to Hubble, or huge objects much farther away.
For example Hubble was used to study the dwarf planets in our solar system Pluto and Eris.
Hubble was also used to study galaxies BILLIONS of light years away. A light year is a measure of distance. It is the distance light travels in one year. Light travels 5,860,000,000,000 miles in one year, so Hubble can see galaxy sized objects billions of times a light year away.
The distance, however, is not the important part of that statement. The important part of the statement "billions of light years away" is "billions of years". Because Hubble can see so far it is, in fact, showing something NOW that happened billions of years ago. That is because the light had to travel for billions of years to reach Hubble. It is allowing astronomers and scientists to observe the universe as it was billions of years ago. This is producing a multitude of theories and scientific papers.
that pretty much covered everything i said except that hubble was last luanched to get to the begginning of time, it's a big gamble for sientists...
i don't even have to write more now :P
How much money is spent each year on the Hubble Space Telescope?
When the Spitzer Space Telescope was first designed, it was going to cost over two billion dollars. Due to some clever design and orbit changes the total cost has dropped to $720 million, which includes all costs from 1996 through launch and initial checkout, including early concept and feasibility studies.
Please visit the related link below for more.
Can the hubble space telescope take pictures of mercury?
Yes, the Hubble Space Telescope is capable of taking pictures of Mercury. However, since Mercury orbits close to the Sun, special considerations must be taken to avoid damaging the telescope's sensitive instruments. Additionally, images of Mercury taken by Hubble may not be as detailed as those captured by spacecraft specifically sent to study the planet.
What invention was made after the Hubble Space Telescope?
The James Webb Space Telescope was developed after the Hubble Space Telescope. It is designed to be the successor to Hubble and will study the universe in infrared wavelengths to help answer fundamental questions about the origins of the cosmos.
Are they going to retire The Hubble Space Telescope?
Yes, the Hubble Space Telescope is expected to be retired in the mid-2020s. It has been in operation since 1990, and the James Webb Space Telescope will be its successor.
Why did the Hubble space telescope fail?
the initial problem was=== the reflecting (lens/mirror) was improperly ground due to the thickness of a 25 cent washer used in the grinding machine that made the lens. the problem was solved by insalling corrective (lenses/mirrors) shaped like pringles potato chips. sounds crazy but its true. bob winters hannacroix n y. there is a particular name for this shape but i cant remember it except that its l o n g.
When did Edwin Hubble invent the telescope?
Edwin Hubble was an astronomer who worked with Earth-based telescopes, and who died in 1953, before the launch of the first artificial satellite. The Hubble Space Telescope was named in his honor almost 40 years later.
Additional:
(See related links.)
If anything can be said to be invented by Hubble, it is to be found in a few ideas that came out of a few discoveries he made such as the existence of the Universe.
Only at the turn of the century with the construction of gigantic telescopes of almost a meter in diameter was it possible to distinguish the blobs known as nebulae as being outside of our galaxy. In the 1920s Hubble's observations confirmed the existence of other galaxies in the universe outside of our own galaxy, an idea that existed, but was controversial and lacked evidence earlier. (Earlier, the universe was thought to be infinite, but mostly empty except for our own little neighborhood of a few billion stars in the Milky Way. As always, we were the center of the Universe.)
In the next years, Hubble expanded this with data from others to quantify the observation that the Universe was expanding. (Now called Hubble's Law.) This led, of course, to the first data supporting the Big Bang theory suggested in by Georges Lemaître in 1927.
What was the hubble space telescope named after?
The Hubble Space Telescope was named after the American astronomer Edwin Hubble, who played a crucial role in changing our understanding of the universe by demonstrating that galaxies are moving away from each other.
What is the advantage of the Hubble Space Telescope over a ground based telescope?
The Hubble Space Telescope is located above Earth's atmosphere, which eliminates the distortion caused by atmospheric turbulence. This allows for sharper and clearer images with higher resolution compared to ground-based telescopes. Additionally, Hubble can observe wavelengths of light that are blocked by the atmosphere, providing a more comprehensive view of the universe.
Adaptive optics technology can enable ground-based telescopes to achieve images as sharp as those from the Hubble Space Telescope. This technology involves using mirrors that can change shape to compensate for the distortions caused by Earth's atmosphere, allowing for clearer and more detailed images.
The trouble experienced with the Hubble Space Telescope dealt with?
The trouble experienced with the Hubble Space Telescope included a flaw in its primary mirror, which caused blurry images. This issue was corrected during a servicing mission in 1993. Additionally, the telescope has faced challenges with a few component failures, which have been addressed through subsequent servicing missions.
What computer language was used to program the computer for Hubble space telescope?
Ada was the programming language initially used to program the computer on the Hubble Space Telescope. It was chosen for its reliability and high-level capabilities, specifically for real-time systems and safety-critical applications.
What kind of telescope is the hubble space telescope?
The Hubble Space Telescope, or HST, or just the "Hubble" for most folks, is a Ritchey-Chrétien reflector telescope. It has a primary mirror to reflect and focus the incident light. A link is provided below.
How high above the Earth does the Hubble Space Telescope orbit?
The Hubble Space Telescope orbits approximately 547 kilometers (340 miles) above the surface of the Earth. It travels at a speed of about 27,000 kilometers per hour (17,000 miles per hour), completing a full orbit around the Earth roughly every 97 minutes.
What technology is used to study space?
Astronomers used to make photographic plates of stars on glass, and compare the images in a device known as a "blinker." If a star moved between two separate exposures, it was clearly NOT a star but an asteroid or comet.
Today we gather light on digital plates and stack images. Computers do much of the analysis in searching for interplanetary bodies. In addition, computer technology is used to measure variations in starlight on board the Kepler spacecraft. These variations reveal the presence of new worlds. Five new worlds (exoplanets) were announced earlier this year, and Kepler astronomers are expected to announce the discover of 700 more within the next few months--more than doubling the currently known number.
How long did the hubble telescope take to build?
Construction began in 1977 and it was ready for launch in 1985, around eight years later. It was not launched until April 24, 1990 though, due to delays from the Challenger disaster in 1986.
Where was the Hubble Space Telescope built?
Once the Space Telescope project had been given the go-ahead, work on the program was divided among many institutions.
Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) was given responsibility for the design, development, and construction of the telescope, while theGoddard Space Flight Center was given overall control of the scientific instruments and ground-control center for the mission. MSFC commissioned the optics company Perkin-Elmer to design and build the Optical Telescope Assembly (OTA) and Fine Guidance Sensors for the space telescope. Lockheed was commissioned to construct the spacecraft in which the telescope would be housed.
Perkin-Elmer was commissioned to build the optical components of the Hubble Space Telescope. The construction of the main mirror was begun in 1979 and polishing completed in 1981 in Danbury Connecticut.
Is Hubble Space telescope still orbiting Earth?
The Hubble Telescope was carried into orbit in April 1990. It is still in orbiting in space. In 2009 it had its final servicing and will probably last until sometime in 2014. Its successor, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), will take its' place.
Over what range of wavelengths does the Hubble Space Telescope operate?
The Hubble Space Telescope operates in the ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared wavelengths, ranging from about 0.1 to 2.5 micrometers. This range allows it to capture high-resolution images and study a wide variety of astronomical phenomena in space.
The concept of getting dizzy is based on liquid that is somewhere inside your head near both of you ears. When you spin around and around, that liquid keeps swiahing around too. When you stop, the liquid is still spinning, so you still feel like your spinning. That's how you get dizzy. So yes obviously now you can get dizzy in space.
What is a well known space project that uses a gyroscope to operate other than the Hubble telescope?
The Cassini-Huygens mission to Saturn also used gyroscopes to stabilize and control the spacecraft during its mission. Gyroscopes are commonly used in spacecraft to help maintain orientation and stability in the absence of gravity.
Can a helicopter work in space?
No, only specially designed rockets can go up into space. As soon as a helicopter reaches our atmosphere boundaries, it would burn up. Rockets on the other hand, have been specially made to hold such extreme temperatures. :)
How much information does a Hubble Space Telescope hold?
How the telescope works In orbit about 380 miles (610 kilometers) above the earth, the Hubble Space Telescope views the heavens without looking through the earth's atmosphere. The atmosphere bends light due to a phenomenon known as diffraction, and the atmosphere is constantly moving. This combination of diffraction and movement causes starlight to jiggle about as it passes through the air, and so stars appear to twinkle. Twinkling blurs images seen through ground-based telescopes. Because an orbiting telescope is above the atmosphere, it can produce pictures in much finer detail than a ground-based telescope can. This false-color image taken by the Hubble Space Telescope using infrared light shows Uranus's rings and clouds. The different colors in the image represent different atmospheric conditions. Image credit: NASA The Hubble Space Telescope can also observe ultraviolet and infrared light that is blocked by the atmosphere. These forms of light, like visible light, are electromagnetic radiation. The wavelength (distance between successive wave crests) of ultraviolet light is shorter than that of visible light. Infrared light has longer wavelengths than visible light. Ultraviolet light comes from highly energetic processes, such as the formation of disks around black holes and exploding stars. Infrared light provides information about cooler, calmer events, such as the formation of dust clouds around new stars. The United States space agency, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), operates the Hubble Space Telescope in cooperation with the European Space Agency (ESA). The telescope is controlled by radio commands relayed from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Astronomers tell the telescope where to point, and computer -- driven instruments aboard the telescope record the resulting observations. The telescope transmits the data by radio to astronomers on the ground. The Hubble Space Telescope has two kinds of instruments: (1) imagers, which take pictures; and (2) spectrographs, which analyze light. Imagers are electronic detectors called charge -- coupled devices (CCD's). The CCD's convert light into electronic signals, which an on -- board computer records and sends to the ground. A spectrograph, like a prism, spreads light into its component colors, much as water droplets spread sunlight into a rainbow. The resulting band of light is called a spectrum (plural spectra). Using spectrographic data from the Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers can determine the composition of stars and galaxies--measuring, for example, the amounts of hydrogen, carbon, and other chemical elements in them How the telescope works In orbit about 380 miles (610 kilometers) above the earth, the Hubble Space Telescope views the heavens without looking through the earth's atmosphere. The atmosphere bends light due to a phenomenon known as diffraction, and the atmosphere is constantly moving. This combination of diffraction and movement causes starlight to jiggle about as it passes through the air, and so stars appear to twinkle. Twinkling blurs images seen through ground-based telescopes. Because an orbiting telescope is above the atmosphere, it can produce pictures in much finer detail than a ground-based telescope can. This false-color image taken by the Hubble Space Telescope using infrared light shows Uranus's rings and clouds. The different colors in the image represent different atmospheric conditions. Image credit: NASA The Hubble Space Telescope can also observe ultraviolet and infrared light that is blocked by the atmosphere. These forms of light, like visible light, are electromagnetic radiation. The wavelength (distance between successive wave crests) of ultraviolet light is shorter than that of visible light. Infrared light has longer wavelengths than visible light. Ultraviolet light comes from highly energetic processes, such as the formation of disks around black holes and exploding stars. Infrared light provides information about cooler, calmer events, such as the formation of dust clouds around new stars. The United States space agency, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), operates the Hubble Space Telescope in cooperation with the European Space Agency (ESA). The telescope is controlled by radio commands relayed from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Astronomers tell the telescope where to point, and computer -- driven instruments aboard the telescope record the resulting observations. The telescope transmits the data by radio to astronomers on the ground. The Hubble Space Telescope has two kinds of instruments: (1) imagers, which take pictures; and (2) spectrographs, which analyze light. Imagers are electronic detectors called charge -- coupled devices (CCD's). The CCD's convert light into electronic signals, which an on -- board computer records and sends to the ground. A spectrograph, like a prism, spreads light into its component colors, much as water droplets spread sunlight into a rainbow. The resulting band of light is called a spectrum (plural spectra). Using spectrographic data from the Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers can determine the composition of stars and galaxies--measuring, for example, the amounts of hydrogen, carbon, and other chemical elements in them
I am not a science specialist, but I do have interest in this area. Space is already curved. Space curves around gravitational fields; the bigger the field the bigger the 'bend'. For example, light from distant stars will bend as it passes by the sun, or even by super-large structures like galaxies. Einstein's theories seem to indicate that it is space itself that bends, and the light travels straight through the bent space. The space of the universe itself is bent in some ways, leaving us with a space that is, according to some, finite but unbounded. COUNTERPOINT: David Harriman in his lecture "Physicists Lost in Space" makes the point that there is no such THING as space. He is correct and Einstein, siding with Plato was wrong. The lecture can be found at the Ayn Rand bookstore. COUNTER-COUNTERPOINT: Yes, space exists and yes, it can be bent....I agree with whoever posted the top answer. As far as our understanding of the universe goes, it is bent. This is needed to explain why light bends in gravitational fields without a mass (and it cannot have a mass because it moves at the speed of light and infinite energy is required to accelerate to the speed of light) Therefore, unless we change our paradigm away from Eisnteins theories (which are still held as true) Space is curved.
