This week marks a momentous occasion for one of the planet’s most cherished astronomical instruments: the Hubble Space Telescope is turning 35. Since its launch on April 24, 1990, Hubble has transformed our comprehension of cosmology, shedding light on the universe’s expansion, and it continues to gather priceless scientific data along with stunning images today.
To commemorate its 35 years in orbit around Earth, the Hubble team has unveiled a collection of four remarkable images highlighting the diverse types of celestial objects that Hubble can study, including planets, nebulae, and galaxies. The telescope has benefited from multiple servicing missions over the years, resulting in significant instrument upgrades, enabling it to remain at the forefront of astronomical research even as technology evolves.
According to the European Space Agency, Hubble has made an astonishing 1.7 million observations of 55,000 targets, leading to the publication of 22,000 scientific papers and the accumulation of over 400 terabytes of data. Even now, time on Hubble is a precious commodity, with six times as many science projects vying for access to the telescope’s resources as can be accommodated.
This breathtaking image showcases a planetary nebula, formed by powerful stellar winds emanating from a vibrant white dwarf at its center. With temperatures soaring to nearly 22,000 degrees Celsius, the core of this dying star emits enough radiation to mold the surrounding dust and gas into exquisite structures.
This eye-catching galaxy resembles our Milky Way with its spiral arms and luminous central bar of stars. However, while our galaxy exhibits distinct spiral arms, NGC 5335’s arms are more spread out, with patches of brightness in some areas due to star formation, while other zones appear less populated. A significant portion of the star formation activity within this galaxy occurs in the central bar, which appears particularly bright.
