Hubble and the Debris Disk of Beta Pictoris

Beta Pictoris remains the only directly imaged debris disk that has a giant planet (discovered in 2009) with an orbital period short enough (estimated to be between 18 and 22 years) that astronomers can see large motion in just a few years. This allows scientists to study how the Beta Pictoris disk is distorted by the presence of a massive planet embedded within the disk.... Read More إقرأ المزيد | Share it now!

The Original Hubble

The Hubble Space Telescope is named after one of the preeminent astronomers of the last century, Edwin Hubble. Among his notable discoveries is that the universe we live in is both enormous and expanding. This episode takes us on a journey through the life and times of the person whose name graces one of the most significant scientific instruments ever built.... Read More إقرأ المزيد | Share it now!

Hubble Sees Supernovae Split into Four Images by Gravitational Lens

Astronomers using NASA’s  Hubble Space Telescope have spotted for the first time a distant supernova split into four images. The multiple images of the exploding star are caused by the powerful gravity of a foreground elliptical galaxy embedded in a massive cluster of galaxies.
This unique observation will help astronomers refine their estimates of the amount and distribution of dark matter in the lensing galaxy and cluster. Dark matter cannot be seen directly but is believed to make up most of the universe’s mass.... Read More إقرأ المزيد | Share it now!