• Explore the solar system.
• Measure the age and size of the universe.
• Search for our cosmic roots.
• Chart the evolution of the universe.
• Unlock the mysteries of galaxies, stars, planets, and life itself.

From: http://hubblesite.org/reference_desk/facts_.and._figures/telescope_history
/telescope_history_3.shtml

There is little doubt Hubble has fulfilled its job description. This is well stated by Livio (2003) who emphasizes “…the Hubble Space Telescope has made some of the most dramatic discoveries in the history of astronomy. From its vantage point 600km above the Earth, Hubble is able to capture images and spectra that would be difficult or impossible to obtain from the ground.” According to Livio and others, HST has led to cutting edge discoveries in the study of Mars and Jupiter, stellar astrophysics, the interstellar medium, the Milky Way, galaxies, supermassive black holes, and in the determination of important cosmological parameters (Livio, 2003).

Hubble gave us the first close-up view of star birth and planet formation, and Hubble was the first telescope to resolve Cepheid variable stars in moderately distant galaxies (Gino, 2004). In this way, HST helped derive a more precise value for the Hubble Constant, Ho. The Hubble Constant is a fundamental value that allows us to determine the age of the Universe and the expansion rate of the Universe (Freedman, 2003).

“Hubble has contributed to an extraordinary variety of astronomical discoveries. Among the most notable are the confirmation of dark matter, observations supporting the current accelerating universe theory, and studies of extrasolar planets “ (Wikipedia, 2004). The Hubble Deep-Field (HDF) and the follow-up Hubble Ultra-Deep Field (HUDF) imaged hundreds of never before seen galaxies. The HDF and HUDF contain the faintest astronomical objects ever imaged. These two projects are amongst the most successful single scientific experiments of all time (Gino, Wikepedia, Meylan, 2004). When all its accomplishments are added up, it is clear to me the Hubble Space Telescope has more than met its original scientific goals. The question to address then is whether it is still a valuable resource worthy of continued ongoing support by the public and the scientific community.

BACK | NEXT