Post on 24-Feb-2016
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Hubble Space Telescope
Advanced Space AcademyFall 2003
USSRC Proprietary
Hubble AstronomyThe Astronomer: Edwin HubbleThe Telescope: Mission, Optics & RepairsMajor DiscoveriesCompanions: past, present and future
The Astronomer: Edwin Hubble 1889-1953
2.5m Schmidt reflector at Mt PalomarAndromeda: proved many “nebulae” are star systems or galaxies like Milky Way1929: Expanding Universe
The MissionLaunch Date: 1990First Functionality: 1993 Range: UV, IR and Visible lightMajor Objectives Outer Solar System Black Holes Age of Universe Total Sky Survey
Backyard Comparison:1 degree = 60 arcminutes = 3600 arcsecondsBest ground scopes: 1 arcsecondHubble: .05 arcsecond2 fireflies in San Francisco from NYC
The Telescope: Optics/Repairs
1993 STS-61: Corrective optics1999 STS-103: Gyroscopes, Computer, Data Recorder2002: new solar arrays, coolant for IR camera, remove COSTAR
Still Active: 2002
Major Discoveries: Solar System
Quaoar (Qwa-War)Not a tenth planet!One of many icy balls in Kuiper Belt with Pluto
Major Discoveries: Solar System
Neptune’s disappearing storms
Major Discoveries: Solar System
Jupiter & Shoemaker-Levy, 1994
Major Discoveries: Black Holes
Chicken vs. egg: Black holes in star clusters seem to form galaxies
Deep Field
Major Discoveries: Supernova Remnant
Harbors Neutron StarRotation: 8 secondsGamma Ray Repeater
Major Discoveries: Age of the Universe
Cooling of White Dwarfs13-15 billion yearsOldest known Milky Way planet: 13 billion years old
Companions: The Great Observatories
ChandraCompton (deorbited 2001)SIRTF – Launched September 2003
[XMM-Newton (ESA)]
Companions: Chandra X-rayMirrors nearly parallel to lightEta Carina: Black hole?Deep Sky Survey
Companions: ComptonGamma Rays (high energy, short wavelength)No lens or mirror – instead, dense atomsMeasure angle of escaping electrons after gammas hit
Companions: SIRTFNew name December 2003Infrared (heat)Detects stars-to-be