5 Things: Hubble Space Telescope

Summary

The script explores the limitations of human vision in observing the night sky and how telescopes, especially the Hubble Space Telescope launched in 1990, have expanded our cosmic horizons. Operating 340 miles above Earth, Hubble captures light from galaxies millions of light-years away, revealing the universe as it was millions of years ago. It has unveiled the birth of galaxies post-Big Bang and provided insights into our solar system, capturing the life cycle of stars and uncovering thousands of new galaxies, continually fueling our awe of the universe.

Takeaways

• 🌌 Our eyes can only perceive a small fraction of the stars due to the limit of human vision.
• 🔭 Earth-based telescopes enhance our view of stars by collecting more light, but their images are distorted by Earth's atmosphere.
• ✨ The twinkling of stars is a result of atmospheric distortion affecting the light we see from them.
• 🚀 Astronomers envisioned a space telescope to avoid atmospheric distortion, leading to the creation of the Hubble Space Telescope.
• 🛰️ Launched in 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope orbits 340 miles above Earth, providing clear views of distant galaxies.
• 🌌 Hubble photographs galaxies that are millions of light-years away, with light-years being a measure of distance based on the time light travels.
• 🌀 The Whirlpool Galaxy, 25 million light-years away, is an example of how Hubble captures light that has taken millions of years to reach us.
• 🕰️ The images of galaxies like the Whirlpool show them as they were millions of years ago, not as they are today.
• 🔬 Hubble's deep sky observations revealed numerous galaxies, some of which are among the youngest, born shortly after the Big Bang.
• 🌟 The Hubble Space Telescope has contributed immensely to our understanding of the universe, including the study of our own solar system.
• 🌍 Hubble observes phenomena within our solar system, such as storms on Mars, Saturn's rings, and Jupiter's auroras.
• 🌠 Hubble captures the life cycle of stars, from their birth to their death, and has discovered thousands of new galaxies.

Q & A

Why can't we see all the stars in the night sky with our naked eyes?

Our eyes can only see so far due to the limited light-gathering capability and the distortion caused by Earth's atmosphere.

How do telescopes on Earth improve our view of the stars?

Telescopes collect more light than our eyes can see, allowing us to see stars that are further away and with more detail.

What causes the twinkling effect when we observe stars from Earth?

The twinkling effect is caused by the distortion of starlight as it passes through Earth's atmosphere.

Why was the Hubble Space Telescope sent into space?

The Hubble Space Telescope was sent into space to avoid the distortion of Earth's atmosphere and to provide clearer, more detailed images of celestial objects.

At what altitude does the Hubble Space Telescope orbit the Earth?

The Hubble Space Telescope orbits the Earth at an altitude of 340 miles above the surface.

What is the significance of light-years in measuring distances in space?

Light-years are a unit of distance that represents the distance light travels in one year, providing a way to measure vast interstellar distances.

How far away is the Whirlpool Galaxy from Earth, and what does this mean for the light we see from it?

The Whirlpool Galaxy is 25 million light-years away from Earth, meaning the light we see from it is 25 million years old, showing us the galaxy as it existed in the past.

What did Hubble astronomers discover when they pointed the telescope at an apparently blank spot of sky?

They discovered a region filled with galaxies, some of which were very distant and others were young galaxies, born just after the Big Bang.

How has the Hubble Space Telescope contributed to our understanding of the universe?

The Hubble Space Telescope has taught us about the birth and death of stars, the existence of thousands of new galaxies, and has provided insights into our own solar system.

What celestial phenomena within our solar system has the Hubble Space Telescope studied?

Hubble has studied phenomena such as storms on Mars, the rings of Saturn, and auroras on Jupiter.

What is the importance of the Hubble Space Telescope in the field of astronomy?

The Hubble Space Telescope has been instrumental in advancing our knowledge of the universe, from the study of distant galaxies to the observation of celestial events within our own solar system.