Hubble Telescope Turns 35: Nasa Unveils Spectacular New Photos Of Cosmic History. Watch Here

After 35 years successful orbit, nan Hubble Space Telescope is marking its day not pinch speeches, but pinch a caller gift to nan cosmos: a caller suite of breathtaking images. Launched aboard nan abstraction shuttle Discovery connected April 24, 1990, Hubble has go 1 of nan astir iconic technological instruments successful history — a instrumentality that turned a fuzzy enigma into a clear-eyed exploration of nan universe.

"Hubble opened a caller model to nan beingness erstwhile it launched 35 years ago," said Shawn Domagal-Goldman, acting head of nan Astrophysics Division astatine NASA Headquarters. "Its stunning imagery inspired group crossed nan globe, and nan information down those images revealed surprises astir everything from early galaxies to planets successful our ain star system."

That consciousness of wonderment has ne'er faded.

Perched successful debased Earth orbit, acold from nan distortions of nan atmosphere, Hubble has fixed humanity its clearest position of abstraction — capturing everything from prima births and asteroid collisions to nan expansive building of distant galaxies. Its imagery has not only driven technological find but besides captivated millions, turning astrophysics into thing personal, poetic, and profoundly relevant.

The early days weren’t perfect. A flaw successful its superior mirror, discovered soon aft launch, threatened to punishment nan mission. But a daring shuttle work ngo successful 1993 fixed nan optics, transforming a PR nightmare into a testament to quality ingenuity.

Over nan decades, 5 servicing missions betwixt 1993 and 2009 upgraded nan telescope’s cameras, computers, and systems, ensuring it could support up pinch technological ambitions. Today, Hubble has recorded astir 1.7 cardinal observations and contributed to complete 22,000 technological papers — information that’s been cited much than 1.3 cardinal times.

Among its galore breakthroughs: providing nan first observational grounds of achromatic holes successful galactic centers, measuring nan accelerating description of nan beingness (leading to a Nobel Prize successful Physics successful 2011), and capturing nan earliest galaxies done its heavy section images. It besides paved nan measurement for nan discovery of exoplanet atmospheres, redefining nan hunt for life beyond Earth.

And its bequest is acold from over.

Hubble’s enduring worth is reflected successful its successor: nan Habitable Worlds Observatory. With a overmuch larger reflector and unprecedented sensitivity, this caller ngo intends to prime up wherever Hubble near disconnected — pinch nan extremity of identifying perchance habitable planets astir adjacent stars.

“The truth that it is still operating coming is simply a testament to nan worth of our flagship observatories,” said Domagal-Goldman, “and provides captious lessons for nan Habitable Worlds Observatory, which we scheme to beryllium serviceable successful nan tone of Hubble.”

Published on: Apr 24, 2025 2:45 PM IST