Hubble marks 35 years with stunning cosmic imagery release
NASA has unveiled four new images of the cosmos, featuring Mars, two nebulae, and a distant spiral galaxy. These were captured by the Hubble Space Telescope, which was launched into space by the space shuttle Discovery in 1990.
The Hubble Space Telescope, which has been offering us breathtaking views of the cosmos for 35 years, has released four new images in celebration of its anniversary. Among these are photos of Mars and a distant galaxy, continuing the tradition of NASA and the Space Telescope Science Institute. They annually release images to commemorate the Hubble's launch aboard the space shuttle Discovery on 24 April 1990.
What images did Hubble present?
The images of Mars, taken at the end of December, reveal the bright orange Tharsis plateau with dormant volcanoes, the northern ice cap, and delicate clouds of water ice. Another image shows a section of the Rosette Nebula, a massive star-forming region located about 5,680 light-years from Earth, where dark clouds of gas and dust create distinct silhouettes.
In January, the Hubble captured the planetary nebula NGC 2899, which resembles a cosmic butterfly, located 4,920 light-years from us. The colourful clouds of dust and gas have been shaped by radiation and stellar winds. In March, the telescope recorded a new view of the spiral galaxy NGC 5335, revealing a bar-shaped structure that directs gas to the core, aiding in the formation of new stars.
What's next for future missions?
The Hubble Telescope, despite its 35 years of service, continues to provide valuable data, although it has faced periodic technical issues in recent years. Meanwhile, scientists' focus is shifting to the James Webb Space Telescope, launched in 2021, which has seven times the light-gathering ability of Hubble. Webb observes the universe mostly in infrared, while Hubble offers a wide spectrum from infrared to ultraviolet.
Looking ahead, NASA plans to launch the Habitable Worlds Observatory, which will explore the universe in visible and ultraviolet light, providing images much sharper than those of Hubble. This mission aims to identify potentially habitable Earth-like planets orbiting distant stars. The observatory will also be designed for robotic servicing, with its launch planned for the 2040s.
