hubble_anniversary_000420 Ten years ago, on April 25, 1990, the crew of Space Shuttle Discovery released the Hubble Space Telescope into the final frontier about 370 miles (595 kilometers) above Earth.
Since then, Hubble has provided scientists with copious data, eye-popping imagery and an ever-expanding look into the past and the future of the universe.
The Eagle nebula, also known as M 16, was photographed in 1995. These ghostly cloud-like towers of dust and interstellar gas, are "nests" for evolving stars. The region is a massive star factory located some 7,000 light-years away. The tips of these gaseous towers are larger than our entire solar system.'
NASA is celebrating the mission's 10th anniversary with a handful of events, including a ceremony at the Johnson Space Center in Houston on Tuesday at which NASA Administrator Dan Goldin and NASA science chief Ed Weiler will speak.
The space observatory's tenure has not been without problems. Early on, Hubble suffered from a serious case myopia, which forced shuttle astronauts to fit it with "new glasses" on a repair visit. On the latest shuttle repair mission last December, positioning gyroscopes used to aim its extra-planetary aperture had to be replaced.
Overcoming these hurdles, the orbiting observatory has sent back extraordinary images of remote galaxies, mystifying black holes, supernovas and evolving stars -- and all with unprecedented precision greater than any Earth-based telescope.
The "Butterfly" nebula, or M2-9, is an example of a planetary nebula, located some 2,100 light-years from Earth. Planetary nebula are not associated with planets but rather are products of older, giant stars.
Hubble, or HST, is managed by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and operated by the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI), at Johns Hopkins University. Astronomers and engineers at STScI plan observing schedules, monitor telescope operations and ensure the accuracy of the interpretations.
The Hourglass nebula, or MyCn 18, is one of many Hubble photos that led scientist to understand planetary nebulas are not always ring-like in form, but can also be stretched and distorted.
Hubble is not exclusively the property of the government - anyone can propose an observing project. However, competition for "Hubble time" is intense and only the most meritorious projects win.
A brief history of Hubble
The telescope was named after Edwin P. Hubble, a celebrated American astronomer from the 1920s who discovered that galaxies exist beyond the Milky Way galaxy and that the universe is expanding uniformly.
Two spiral galaxies passing in the night was taken using Hubble's Wide Field Planetary Camera. The photograph itself was taken by positioning the camera from three different perspectives. The two galaxies, NGC 2207 (left) and IC 2163 (right), orbit each other.
In 1977, Congress approved construction of the telescope. Contracts were awarded to what then was called the Lockheed Missiles and Space Company and Perkins-Elmer, which designed the 7.9-foot (2.4-meter) mirror, a secondary mirror, and guidance sensors. At that time, it was determined that the observatory would be a long-term project for NASA. The HST currently is intended to operate until the year 2010.
In 1993, 1997 and 1999, NASA executed missions to upgrade, repair and service the telescope (designed with 1970s-technology) with enhanced optical equipment and corrective devices, as well as new gyroscopes. Two more Hubble servicing missions are planned for 2001 and 2003.
Although telescopes with larger mirrors exist on Earth, images from Earth-based telescopes are "blurred" and distorted by the Earth's atmosphere, whereas Hubble has a clear view.
The "Eskimo" nebula, a planetary nebula, was the first image taken following the 1999 repair mission accomplished by the STS 103 crew on Space Shuttle Endeavor. Officially named NGC 2392, the image captures the remnants of a dying star, located some 5,000 light-years from Earth.
In just 10 years, Hubble has collected a vast bank of information about the worlds beyond ours. These data have provided evidence that astronomers need to confirm theories and to question and modify others.
Look closely, and you will see hundred of galaxies in this Hubble Deep-Field image. At the time that this image was released in 1996, it was the most detailed view of the universe that scientists had seen. The image is the product of 342 separate exposures photographed by the Hubble's Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2 over a period of 10 successive days.
Hubble has provided astronomers with hundreds of dazzling images and given scientists, as well as the public, a method by which to examine celestial objects from afar.
The enduring test for NASA will be to consistently heighten the operations and performance of HST instruments and maintain it as one of the finest observatories for years to come.
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