SPACE TELESCOPES






Photograph:Cutaway of the Hubble Space Telescope, revealing the Optical Telescope Assembly (OTA), the heart of this orbiting observational system.


Welcome aboard! All about the space telescope


You are 570 miles above the ground, on board the most advanced system installed in the Earth’s orbit for observational purposes. It was earlier proposed that most of the earth’s scientific concerns can be better addressed if studies were conducted above ground, the seed of an idea for this sophisticated equipment to come into existence.


A part of a series of OAO (Orbiting Astronomical Observatories) projects of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), this equipment took off from the ground, via a Space Shuttle, to the earth’s orbit in 1990.


Basically just a telescope, but a multi-faceted one. It brings you closer to the stars!


With a 2.4 metre-wide mirror, this telescope is primarily receptive to optical ultraviolet images, which is designed to view space at an enlarged version of about 400 times.


A cut-away of this facility reveals five scientific instruments on board: cameras for both faint objects and those requiring higher resolution, two spectrographs and a highly sophisticated photometer complete the “heart” of this unique observatory in space.


You are on the Hubble Space Telescope! Enjoy your ride!


Important Hubble discoveries:

The Hubble Telescope was instrumental in measuring distances between and among cepheid stars, a group of variable stars. This discovery led to a more accurate measurement of the Hubble Constant – the rate that determines the expansion of the universe and thus, refined measurement of its age.


When a comet struck Jupiter in 1994, it was clearly documented by astronomers, as images of the impact were seen clearly through the Hubble. The images were clear and sharp, astronomers have clearer basis about this phenomenon which is believed to occur again in the future.


Extrasolar planets, those that exist around stars that resemble the sun, have been seen through the aid of the Hubble.


With a mass of 24, 250.85 pounds, the Hubble has an orbit period of 96.8 minutes. Its telescope is a reflector type by Ritchey-Chretien, measuring about 7.87 feet in diameter. The Hubble has a circular orbit pattern.


Launched on April 24, 1990, the Hubble has a deorbit schedule in 2010.