Hubble turns 35: New cosmic images amaze and inspire
NASA has unveiled four new images of the cosmos, including Mars, two nebulae, and a distant spiral galaxy. These stunning images were captured by the Hubble Space Telescope, which was launched into space by the space shuttle Discovery in 1990.
The Hubble Space Telescope, which has been offering us breathtaking views of the universe for 35 years, released these new images in celebration of its anniversary. Among them are photos of Mars and a distant galaxy. This continues the tradition of NASA and the Space Telescope Science Institute, which annually release images to commemorate the anniversary of Hubble's launch aboard the space shuttle Discovery on April 24, 1990, at 12:00 PM Eastern Time.
What images did Hubble present?
The images of Mars, taken at the end of December, reveal the bright orange Tharsis plateau with its dormant volcanoes, the northern ice cap, and delicate clouds of water ice. Another image shows a section of the Rosette Nebula, a massive star-forming region located about 5,680 light-years from Earth. Dark clouds of gas and dust create distinct silhouettes.
In January, Hubble captured the planetary nebula NGC 2899, which resembles a cosmic butterfly, located 4,920 light-years away from us. The colorful clouds of dust and gas have been shaped by radiation and stellar winds. In March, the telescope recorded a new view of the spiral galaxy NGC 5335, revealing a bar-shaped structure that directs gas to the core, aiding in the formation of new stars.
What's next for future missions?
The Hubble Telescope, despite being in operation for 35 years, continues to provide valuable data. It has encountered periodic technical issues in recent years, but scientists are focusing more on the James Webb Space Telescope, launched in 2021. With seven times the light-gathering capability of Hubble, Webb observes the universe predominantly in infrared, while Hubble offers a wide spectrum from infrared to ultraviolet.
Looking ahead, NASA plans to launch the Habitable Worlds Observatory, which will explore the universe in visible and ultraviolet light, providing images much sharper than those of Hubble. This mission aims to identify potentially habitable Earth-like planets orbiting distant stars. Additionally, the observatory will be designed for robotic servicing, and its launch is planned for the 2040s.
