NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope is one of the most powerful scientific instruments ever conceived. Hubble’s most important discoveries have provided answers to questions that astronomers did not yet know how to ask, and found objects that were not yet imagined. This installment of the “Hubble at 25” series looks at how Hubble far exceeds its original science goals and unveiled an even more complex and mysterious universe than once envisioned.

Backyard stargazers get a monthly guide to the northern hemisphere’s skywatching events with “Tonight’s Sky.” In April, look for the Great Bear, Ursa Major, and the Lyrid meteor shower.

“Tonight’s Sky” is produced by HubbleSite.org, online home of the Hubble Space Telescope. This is a recurring show, and you can find more episodes — and other astronomy videos — at HubbleSite.org.

Visit Tonight’s Sky on HubbleSite.
http://hubblesite.org/explore_astronomy/tonights_sky

As we approach the 25th anniversary of the Hubble Space Telescope launching into space, we will be taking time to recognize the man who the famous telescope is named after: Edwin Hubble. 

Edwin Hubble is most widely known for being the astronomer that observed and detected the cepheid variable inside M31 The Great Nebula in Andromeda (now known as the Andromeda Galaxy), which was the evidence needed to show that the Universe we reside in is not a static one, but was expanding. 

These observations were made at the Mount Wilson Observatory in the 1920s and heralded a new way for humanity to understand the Universe. 

Please join +Tony Darnell, Dr.+Carol Christian and +Scott Lewis, who will be on location at the Carnegie Observatories office in Pasadena Calfornia, with Dr. John Mulchaey the acting director of the Carnegie Observatories as well as Nicholas (Nik) Arkimovich, a senior docent at the Mount Wilson Observatory. Together, they will bring fascinating insights into who Edwin Hubble was, as well as his remarkable achievements in astronomy. 

Read more about here:
Carnegie Observatories: https://obs.carnegiescience.edu/
Mount Wilson Observatory: http://www.mtwilson.edu/

New Hubble eBook:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/hubble-space-telescope-discoveries/id983709653?mt=11

Hubble Mania Posters:
http://hubblesite.org/gallery/printshop/
http://hubblesite.org/gallery/wallpaper/

#Hubble25 #HubbleHangout #Astronomy #Science #Space #HistSci #EdwinHubble #Hubble

The nebula Gum 29 is a star-forming region about 20,00 light-years away in the constellation Carina. At the core of the nebula is a cluster of several thousand stars called Westerlund 2. These newborn stars are approximately 2 million years old, and their light illuminates, heats, and erodes the surrounding gas. The Hubble image, utilizing both visible and infrared light observations, was released in celebration of the telescope’s 25th anniversary.

This visualization provides a three-dimensional perspective on the nebula and star cluster. The flight traverses the foreground stars and approaches the lower left rim of the nebula. Passing through the wispy darker clouds on the near side, the journey reveals bright gas illuminated by the intense radiation of the newly formed star cluster. Within the nebula, several pillars of dark, dense gas are being shaped by the energetic light and strong stellar winds from the brilliant cluster of thousands of stars. Note that the visualization is intended only as a scientifically reasonable interpretation and that distances within the model are significantly compressed.

Credit: Jay Anderson, Greg Bacon, Lisa Frattare, Zolt Levay, and Frank Summers (STScI)

Acknowledgment: The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA), A. Nota (ESA/STScI), the Westerlund 2 Science Team, and ESO

For more information: http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2015/12/

Twenty five years ago today, the +Hubble Space Telescope was launched aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery to usher in a new era of observing the Universe. 

For this special *Friday* #HubbleHangout , your trusty co-hosts +Tony Darnell, Dr.+Carol Christian and +Scott Lewis will be discussing their favorite images, discoveries and accomplishments that have been made over the past quarter century with our grand telescope. 

Also joining the team is +European Space Agency, ESA’s Georgia Bladon who will be presenting the winners of the #OdeToHubble  competition! Many fantastic entries were submitted and you can view the “Shortlist” here: http://www.spacetelescope.org/projects/Hubble25/odetohubble/

We’re also looking to hear from you about _YOUR_ favorite memories, images and breakthroughs from Hubble. Please search through our image gallery and News Center, and let us know in comments below or tweet at us with the hashtag #HubbleHangout  

Hubble Gallery: http://hubblesite.org/gallery/
Hubble News Center: http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/
Hubble 25th: http://hubble25th.org

We look forward to celebrating with you the amazing journey we’ve made together uncovering the mysteries of the Universe!

Winner in the over 25 Category of #OdeToHubble Video Contest – Desiré de Palacio:

Winner in the under 25 category – Halley Davies & Martin Hellmich

#Space   #Astronomy   #Hubble25   #Hubble   #HST   #ScienceFriday   #ScienceEveryday   #SciFri

Credit: NASA, ESA, and G. Bacon (STScI)

Acknowledgment: NASA, ESA, the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA), the Digitized Sky Survey ((DSS), STScI/AURA, Palomar/Caltech, and UKSTU/AAO), T.A. Rector (NRAO/AUI/NSF and NOAO/AURA/NSF) and B.A. Wolpa (NOAO/AURA/NSF), and A. Fujii

Additional information is available on HubbleSite:
http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2015/01

This visualization provides a three-dimensional perspective on Hubble’s 25th anniversary image of the nebula Gum 29 with the star cluster Westerlund 2 at its core. The flight traverses the foreground stars and approaches the lower left rim of the nebula Gum 29. Passing through the wispy darker clouds on the near side, the journey reveals bright gas illuminated by the intense radiation of the newly formed stars of cluster Westerlund 2. Within the nebula, several pillars of dark, dense gas are being shaped by the energetic light and strong stellar winds from the brilliant cluster of thousands of stars. Note that the visualization is intended to be a scientifically reasonable interpretation and that distances within the model are significantly compressed.

Credit: NASA, ESA, G. Bacon, L. Frattare, Z. Levay, and F. Summers (Viz3D Team, STScI), and J. Anderson (STScI)

Acknowledgment: The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA), A. Nota (ESA/STScI), the Westerlund 2 Science Team, and ESO

With about a million observations under its belt during its 25 years of service, some of the Hubble Space Telescope’s most memorable images have been of the vastness of space and the early days of the universe. These “deep-field” images actually improved over the years because shuttle astronauts were able to upgrade the observatory. This episode, entitled “The Incredible Time Machine” shows us how Hubble has been able to give us a glimpse of a cosmos in its formative years.

Backyard stargazers get a monthly guide to the northern hemisphere’s skywatching events with “Tonight’s Sky.” In May, the Eta Aquarid meteor shower streaks through the sky, and face-on spiral galaxy M51 makes an appearance.

“Tonight’s Sky” is produced by HubbleSite.org, online home of the Hubble Space Telescope. This is a recurring show, and you can find more episodes — and other astronomy videos — at HubbleSite.org.

Visit Tonight’s Sky on HubbleSite.
http://hubblesite.org/explore_astronomy/tonights_sky