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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 did the invention of a reflecting telescope help people to see more than a lens telescope?
There are a number of advantages with a reflecting telescope but the most favourable is the fact that it uses a curved mirror which 'reflects' the image as opposed to a refractor which 'refracts' the image. In short, 'white light' is made up from all of the colours of the rainbow. When using a reflecting telescope, the mirror deflects the entire light make-up in one go so that a sharp focal point can be defined. With a refracting telescope, each individual light colour refracts at a different angle meaning that if you place the focusing lens in position for say violet, it will be out of focus for the other six colours.
Astronomer, Edwin Hubble, married Grace Burke on February 26, 1924. A veteran of the United States Army, Hubble is remembered for Hubble's Law, which tells us the universe is expanding. The Hubble Space Telescope is named after him.
How did Edwin hubble sub-categorize spiral galaxies?
Hubble devised subcategorization for spiral galaxies first based on whether the galaxy exhibited a bar and then how well the spiral arms were defined. The classes are designated as Sa, Sb, and SC with the Sa class being the most tightly wound. A capital B designation after the S indicates the presence of a bar as well.
What problem does an earth - based telescope have that a space - based telescope does not have?
Atmospheric and environmental interference.
Why can only international telescopes operate in space?
That is not the case. While countries may share the cost of launching a telescope into space (and share the time on it), individual countries have launched their own telescopes - eg Hubble is not international, it belongs to NASA/US.
What is the estimated per second per megaparsec expansion of the universe?
One of the latest estimates is about 67.80Â (plus-minus) 0.77 (km/second)/Mpc. Check the Wikipedia article on "Hubble constant" for more details, and other estimates.
How much did the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope cost?
From an original estimate of about $400 million, by the time of launch it had cost $2.2 billion and by today has probably cost twice that amount.
How does the Hubble space telescope move?
The HST orbits at 559 km above Earth but it is subject to Earth's drag, pulling it gradually down. In order to counter this effect the HST has fuel and rockets that are used for correcting the orbit and also raise it in altitude. However, the effect of that drag on the 10-ton instrument (when weighed on Earth) is much less than on the 450-ton ISS at 400 km (where the drag is 70 to 100 m within 24 hours).
What kind of telescope do you need to look into space?
You would need a telescope with a large aperture to observe objects in space clearly. Aperture size is important for collecting enough light from distant objects. A telescope with a minimum aperture of 4 inches is recommended for observing celestial objects such as galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters.
Why are X-ray telescopes placed in space?
The reason why astronomers send things in space and not set them on a mountain, is because distortion becomes minimum. anything that goes in space will capture a better signal and picture of everything.
Why does NASA still use whale oil on the Hubble telescope?
Oil from the sperm whale does not gel up in freezing temps like petrochemical oil does.
What is the meaning of refracting telescope?
That means that it uses lenses that use refraction to change the direction of light. More specifically, the main light-gathering piece is a lens - as opposed to a reflecting telescope, which uses mirrors for this same purpose.
What problems did the Hubble Space Telescope face when it was launched in 1990?
launch delays, budget problems and a incorrect mirror
What is the most important part on the Hubble Space Telescope?
There are 2 key pieces of electronics aboard HST that if they were to fail would essentially end HST's service life:
Fine Guidance Sensors (FGS) are arguably the single most key pieces of electronics on HST. The FGS's are what point HST and keep it locked in position while observations are being made, a difficult task considering that HST orbits the Earth every 96 minutes, and is subject to extreme thermal stresses every time it passes through the solar terminator (the line between darkness and sunlight in orbit).
Science Instrument / Command & Data Handling Unit (SI C&DH) - The very first item I worked on during my years with the HST program, the SI C&DH converts all science data from HST observations prior to relaying to the ground via telemetry. Without this key unit, data from Hubble could not be transmitted to the Space Telescope Science Institute in Maryland (HST's control center), and HST's function would be useless. There are 2 SI C&DH units, one primary and one backup. One failed just prior to the last servicing mission; it was delayed so a spare unit (there are always at least 1 or 2 flight units available on the ground, or if necessary an engineering unit can be made flight-ready) could be readied and the Astronauts could prepare for replacing this key unit.
Does the Hubble Telescope belong to NASA?
Yes, the Hubble Space Telescope is a project of NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), in partnership with the European Space Agency (ESA). It was launched by NASA in 1990 and has provided valuable insights into the universe through its observations.
Edwin Hubble was a American astronomer, the Hubble telescope is named after him.
Where is past years satellite images available online?
For past years earth-based satellite imagery in Google Earth you can select 'Historical Imagery' under View menu. This shows a timeline slider from which to select available satellite and aerial imagery from the past.
NASA also provides vast archives of satellite imagery much of which are available online such as the NASA Image Gallery
What can the the hubble space telescope do?
The Hubble Space Telescope can capture high-resolution images of celestial objects, make precise measurements of astronomical phenomena, study the atmospheres of planets, and help determine the age and expansion rate of the universe through observations of distant galaxies and supernovae.
Was the telescope created by accident?
The first telescope was invented by Hans Lipperhey , a Dutch lens grinder, in 1609 when he combined two lenses.
