Hubble Space Telescope (HST), the first large optical orbiting observatory observatory, orbiting, research satellite designed to study solar radiation, electromagnetic radiation from distant stars, the earth's atmosphere , or the like.
..... Click the link for more information. . Built from 1978 to 1990 at a cost of $1.5 billion, the HST (named for astronomer E. P. Hubble Hubble, Edwin Powell, 1889–1953, American astronomer, b. Marshfield, Mo. He did research (1914–17) at Yerkes Observatory, and joined (1919) the staff of Mt. Wilson Observatory, Pasadena, Calif., of which he became director. Building on V. M.
..... Click the link for more information. ) was expected to provide the clearest view yet obtained of the universe. Using a Ritchey-Chrétien design that affords wider and flatter fields of view than traditional Cassegrain systems, the telescope has a 7.9-ft (2.4-m) primary mirror that can observe 24 hours a day (but usually observes less than 20% of the time) in a sky that is always clear and always has perfect seeing seeing, in astronomy, the clarity with which stars and other celestial objects can be observed. It is primarily determined by the atmosphere of the earth. The most obvious phenomenon is twinkling, when the brightness of a star seems to fluctuate.
..... Click the link for more information. . Among the instruments are two high-resolution cameras and two spectrographs. The HST was launched from shuttle Atlantis in 1990. Initial tests taken after its launch showed that the primary mirror was astigmatic, and it was discovered that the mirror had been mistakenly ground to the wrong figure. The telescope was repaired by astronauts of the space shuttle Endeavour in Dec., 1993, who replaced critical instruments and added corrective optics while in orbit. Subsequent servicing missions in 1997 and 1999 added capabilities to HST, which observes the universe at ultraviolet, near-ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared wavelengths. In Mar., 2002, astronauts from the space shuttle Columbia made repairs and improvements designed to enable the observatory to function for another decade, but in 2004 the power supply for the ultraviolet spectrograph failed.
Most sophisticated optical observatory ever placed into orbit around Earth. Because it is above Earth's obscuring atmosphere, it can obtain images much brighter, clearer, and more detailed than ground-based telescopes can. Named for Edwin Hubble, it was built under NASA supervision and deployed on a 1990 space-shuttle mission. The reflector telescope's mirror optics gather light from celestial objects and direct it to an array of cameras and spectrographs (see spectroscopy). A defect in the primary mirror initially caused it to produce fuzzy images; in 1993 another shuttle mission corrected this and other problems. Subsequent missions to the HST have been for maintenance, repairs, and instrument upgrades.
Hubble Space Telescope [¦həb·əl ′spās ‚tel·ə‚skōp]
..... Click the link for more information. . Built from 1978 to 1990 at a cost of $1.5 billion, the HST (named for astronomer E. P. Hubble Hubble, Edwin Powell, 1889–1953, American astronomer, b. Marshfield, Mo. He did research (1914–17) at Yerkes Observatory, and joined (1919) the staff of Mt. Wilson Observatory, Pasadena, Calif., of which he became director. Building on V. M.
..... Click the link for more information. ) was expected to provide the clearest view yet obtained of the universe. Using a Ritchey-Chrétien design that affords wider and flatter fields of view than traditional Cassegrain systems, the telescope has a 7.9-ft (2.4-m) primary mirror that can observe 24 hours a day (but usually observes less than 20% of the time) in a sky that is always clear and always has perfect seeing seeing, in astronomy, the clarity with which stars and other celestial objects can be observed. It is primarily determined by the atmosphere of the earth. The most obvious phenomenon is twinkling, when the brightness of a star seems to fluctuate.
..... Click the link for more information. . Among the instruments are two high-resolution cameras and two spectrographs. The HST was launched from shuttle Atlantis in 1990. Initial tests taken after its launch showed that the primary mirror was astigmatic, and it was discovered that the mirror had been mistakenly ground to the wrong figure. The telescope was repaired by astronauts of the space shuttle Endeavour in Dec., 1993, who replaced critical instruments and added corrective optics while in orbit. Subsequent servicing missions in 1997 and 1999 added capabilities to HST, which observes the universe at ultraviolet, near-ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared wavelengths. In Mar., 2002, astronauts from the space shuttle Columbia made repairs and improvements designed to enable the observatory to function for another decade, but in 2004 the power supply for the ultraviolet spectrograph failed.
Hubble Space Telescope (HST)
)
Cutaway of the NASA Hubble Space Telescope, revealing the Optical Telescope Assembly, the heart of …
(credit: Courtesy of Hughes Danbury Optical Systems, Inc.)
Hubble Space Telescope
Launched in April 1990, this orbiting telescope views star material some 10 to 12 billion light years from earth, and its digital images have contributed greatly to our knowledge of astronomy and science. Hubble was designed to receive periodic visits from space shuttle astronauts who would perform routine maintenance and instrument upgrades. The last such service visit took place in 2002, and with NASA authorization on hold for a fourth and final service, the projected lifespan of Hubble's work is 2010. For a fascinating look at Hubble's optics and operation plus extraordinary photos of its solar system targets, visit www.hubblesite.org.
Hubble Space Telescope [¦həb·əl ′spās ‚tel·ə‚skōp]
(optics)
An astronomical reflecting telescope with a mirror 94.5 inches (2.4 meters) in diameter; placed in orbit above the earth's atmosphere in April 1990.
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