The Hubble Space Telescope has surprised astronomy far more than 10 times in its amazing career

That legendary space telescope has been humanity's eye in the sky for 35 years now, orbiting about 340 miles above Earth and capturing the cosmos in astonishing clarity.

We all should know what the Hubble Telescope is. Let's find out.

From close planets to the most distant galaxies, the Hubble Space Telescope is a massive space-based observatory that orbits the Earth and captures amazingly detailed photographs of space.

Here's a brief summary:

Launched:

NASA launched it on the Space Shuttle Discovery on April 24, 1990.

Orbit:

Approximately 340 miles (550 kilometers) above the ground.

Size:

The size of a school bus, roughly.

Main Features:

2.4 meters of a huge primary mirror and sophisticated cameras and spectrographs.

Purpose:

To observe the universe in visible, ultraviolet, and near-infrared light.

Why it's unique:

Images are blurred and distorted by Earth's atmosphere, which Hubble avoids. Compared to ground-based telescopes, it can see significantly more clearly and farther because of this. It has aided: Calculate the universe's age and rate of expansion. Learn about dark energy. Examine black holes, exoplanets, galaxies, and nebulae. Take famous pictures such as Deep Field and the Pillars of Creation.

The Hubble Space Telescope (1990 to 2025)

1990:

On April 24, he boarded the Space Shuttle Discovery. A defect in the mirror caused the first photographs to be hazy.

1993:

The first mission for service. By using a correcting instrument (COSTAR) to adjust the mirror, astronauts transformed Hubble into the perceptive observatory it is today.

1995:

The Pillars of Creation, a famous picture of star birth in the Eagle Nebula, was captured.

1998 to 2004:

The Hubble Deep Field and Ultra Deep Field were unveiled, extending the limits of the observable universe by revealing millions of galaxies in small patches of the sky.

2009:

Hubble had a significant upgrade with additional sensors, such as the Wide Field Camera 3, during its final servicing mission, greatly enhancing its capabilities.

2010s to 2020s:

Persisted in collecting amazing pictures and gathering crucial information on exoplanets, far-off galaxies, supernovae, and even the storms on Jupiter.

2025:

In its 35th year, Hubble continues to function in tandem with the James Webb Space Telescope, revealing the universe's beauty and science.

The importance of the Hubble Telescope in the universe:

1. Improved the Way We Think About the Universe:

Some of the most detailed pictures of deep space have been taken by Hubble, displaying previously unseen star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies. It contributed to the confirmation that the universe is far more vast and intricate than we first thought.

2. The Universe's Age and Growth:

Hubble received the Nobel Prize for his work confirming that the cosmos is expanding at an accelerating rate and helping scientists establish the universe's age (about 13.8 billion years) by analyzing faraway galaxies and supernovae.

3. Discovering Black Holes:

Supermassive black holes are found at the core of most galaxies, including the Milky Way, according to compelling evidence from Hubble.

4. Development of Planets and Stars:

It helped us comprehend how stars and planetary systems grow and change over time by capturing clear photos of star birth and death.

5. Assistance with Other Missions:

The James Webb Space Telescope and other space missions are guided by Hubble's observations, which point out objects and phenomena that merit further study.

6. Pillars of Creation:

The famous Eagle Nebula photograph, which displays star nurseries in breathtaking detail, was captured by Pillars of Creation.

7. Moons of Pluto:

Four of Pluto's five known moons—Nix, Hydra, Kerberos, and Styx—were found.

8. Galaxy Evolution:

Illustrated the evolution of galaxies from early chaotic shapes to organized spirals and ellipticals.