Starship Asterisk*

A data visualization charts the positions in the sky of the Hubble Space Telescope’s plethora of cosmic targets. Credit: Nadieh Bremer

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Peering into the darkness to see what we could not previously see, the Hubble Space Telescope has been delighting scientists and the general public for 30 years with revealing details and images of galaxies, celestial phenomena, and planets within and beyond our solar system. Launched in 1990 with an ambitious mission to probe the age and expansion of the universe, Hubble continues to open windows to new cosmic mysteries and will do so for years to come.

In addition to providing researchers with more than a million observations and corresponding data, Hubble has provided beautiful and astounding images to the general public, inspiring awe of our universe and a greater interest in astronomy. From chronicling the birth and death of stars across our galaxy to mapping dark matter, the telescope has answered some nagging scientific questions, created more inquiries, and pushed the boundaries of understanding and wonder among many astronomers and astrophysicists. ...

Physics Today, a publication by AIP, is highlighting the anniversary in its April issue with a look back at the history of the telescope and analysis of Hubble’s discoveries over the past 30 years. A centerfold in the print edition will pinpoint the locations of Hubble’s observations on a map of the sky and highlight the telescope’s great discoveries and images. ...

In April’s issue of Sky & Telescope, published by the American Astronomical Society, an AIP Member Society, amateur astronomers talk about what it is like working with NASA on space observations and reflect on some of the amazing and famous images to come from Hubble in a photo essay for the cover article. ...

Click to play embedded YouTube video.

Hubble Space Telescope: Three Decades of Discovery
Credits: NASA, ESA, D. Player, J. DePasquale, and M. Carruthers (STScI)
Music: J. DePasquale

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On April 24, 1990, the space shuttle Discovery lifted off from Earth with its precious cargo, the Hubble Space Telescope. The next day, astronauts released the telescope into space to begin its journey of discovery. No one could have predicted what wonders Hubble would see in the 30 years that followed. From our own cosmic backyard to the far reaches of the universe, Hubble showed us properties of space and time that for most of human history could only be imagined.

Hubble’s keen eye sees ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared light, and delivers its wide range of discoveries through images and spectroscopy. The telescope has investigated our own solar system and characterized the atmospheres of planets around other suns. It has shown us how stars form, live out their lives, and die. Hubble has revealed intricate details of the shapes, structures, and histories of galaxies, as well as discovered supermassive black holes in galactic centers. Observing the cosmic frontier, Hubble has uncovered some of the universe’s earliest galaxies, explored the nature of the enigmatic dark matter, and built upon the discovery of the yet-unexplained phenomenon called dark energy.

Today, Hubble continues to churn out groundbreaking science, revealing new views of cosmic wonders and helping to answer even more of astronomy’s major questions. In the future, it will partner with NASA’s next great observatories, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and the Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST), to provide complementary science.

As you explore these pages, you will find information about Hubble’s 30 greatest achievements, view iconic images from the telescope, and discover events and resources for celebrating Hubble’s 30th anniversary.