On the 24th April 1990 the Hubble Space Telescope was launched from the Kennedy Space Center and to mark the orbiting observatory’s 20th anniversary they’ve released this suitably stunning image – there’s a Hubblecast video outlining the telescope’s history here. And the BBC have put together a wondrous Hubble 20th anniversary audio-slideshow with Professor Alec Boksenberg.
Hubblecast gets in on the act with a tribute to the telescope’s discoveries in those 20 years.
And here’s an approximated 3-D view into a giant “mountain” of cool hydrogen and dust in the Carina Nebula based on Hubble images released for the 20th Anniversary – via NASAexplorer.
The Hubble website hosts a video of astronomers who have worked on the Hubble Space Telescope over the past 20 years talk about their discoveries.
Although you might want to add a caveat to some of the discussions on ‘dark’ matter and energy…
And the BBC’s Spaceman, Jonathan Amos, has a great post on Hubble’s past and future role. And that of the telescopes to come.
I think it’s probably true to say the old telescope has exceeded everyone’s expectations. Raise a glass.
Indeed.