SP200: Hubble Space Telescope

Hubble Space Telescope Overview

  • Size and Location:

    • Measures approximately 2.4 meters across.

    • Positioned high above Earth's atmosphere to avoid atmospheric distortion and obstruction.

  • Capabilities:

    • Able to observe ultraviolet and near-infrared light, which ground-based telescopes cannot detect due to atmospheric blockage.

  • Instrumentation:

    • Equipped with cameras and spectrographs, some the size of telephone booths, which capture and analyze light from distant celestial objects.

  • Upgrades and Maintenance:

    • Hubble is periodically upgraded through servicing missions conducted by spacewalking astronauts.

    • Broken components are refurbished, and older instruments are replaced with advanced technologies.

  • Significant Discoveries:

    • Observed seasonal changes on Mars, comet impacts on Jupiter, detailed structures of Saturn’s rings, and surface features of Pluto.

    • Revealed the life cycle of stars, from formation in dusty gas clouds to their demise in the form of nebulae or supernovae.

    • Notably observed the Orion Nebula, which hosts new solar system formations within dusty disks surrounding newborn stars.

    • Examined numerous individual stars located in globular clusters, highlighting ancient star families and the intricate structures of galaxies.

  • Observational Detail:

    • Recorded unprecedented details of galaxies, including spirals, dust absorption processes, and violent galactic interactions.

    • Captured extremely long exposures of seemingly empty regions that revealed thousands of faint galaxies billions of light years away.

Spitzer Space Telescope

  • Introduction:

    • Launched by NASA in August 2003, designed for infrared observations similar to Hubble's optical capabilities.

  • Specifications:

    • Features a mirror measuring only 85 centimeters across, insulated by a heat shield.

    • Detectors are cooled to just above absolute zero to maximize sensitivity.

  • Primary Findings:

    • Discovered dark clouds of dust that glow in the infrared when heated internally.

    • Investigated the aftermath of galactic collisions, revealing dust rings and sites of active star formation.

    • Analyzed planetary nebulae and supernova remnants, which are rich in dust and potential building blocks for future planets.

    • Able to penetrate dust clouds to visualize stars hidden within, revealing stellar atmospheres and conditions.

  • Exoplanet Research:

    • The spectrographs on Spitzer have studied the atmospheres of exoplanets, including gas giants orbiting closely to their parent stars.

High-Energy Space Telescopes

  • Importance of X-ray and Gamma-ray Astronomy:

    • X-ray and gamma-ray emissions are blocked by Earth's atmosphere; thus, space telescopes are necessary for observation.

  • Structural Features of Telescopes:

    • Conventional mirrors cannot focus energetic radiation.

    • X-rays can only be focused using nested mirror shells made from pure gold.

    • Gamma rays require intricate pinhole camera designs or scintillators that convert gamma-ray impacts into visible light.

  • Notable Missions:

    • Compton Gamma Ray Observatory: Operated by NASA in the 1990s, the largest scientific satellite at that time.

    • GLAST (Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope): Launched in 2008, focused on studying high-energy phenomena from dark matter to pulsars.

    • Chandra X-ray Observatory (NASA) and XMM-Newton Observatory (ESA): Studying extremely hot cosmic phenomena.

The Nature of High Energy Cosmic Events

  • X-ray Observations:

    • Star formation regions, neutron stars, black holes, and supernova remnants are visualized through X-ray emissions.

    • Extended gas clouds and point sources are identified within galaxies.

  • Gamma-ray Bursts:

    • Described as the most energetic events in the universe, resulting from massive stars' catastrophic explosive ends.

Future Developments in Telescopes

  • New Projects:

    • Giant Magellan Telescope: Features seven large mirrors, enhancing light collection capabilities.

    • 30 Meter Telescope: Expected to commence operations around 2015, integrates multiple segments into a large mirror.

    • European Extremely Large Telescope: An ambitious project with a 42-meter diameter mirror, enhancing infrared observation.

    • Square Kilometer Array for Radio Astronomy: A collaborative endeavor employing numerous antennas to construct an immense radio telescope for detailed cosmic imaging.

Current and Upcoming Missions in Space Astronomy

  • Hubble's Legacy and Successor:

    • Hubble is scheduled for active duty until approximately 2013, after which the James Webb Space Telescope will launch.

    • Webb will possess a 6.5-meter segmented mirror and operate at significantly lower temperatures.

    • Positioned 1,500,000 kilometers from Earth to avoid light interference.

Innovative Telescope Design Concepts

  • Liquid Mirror Telescopes:

    • Utilize a rotating reservoir of liquid mercury to form the reflecting surface.

  • Moon-Based Radio Arrays:

    • Proposed designs aim to place arrays of antennas on the lunar surface, away from Earth-induced interference.

  • Future Planet Detection Technologies:

    • Concepts like the Terrestrial Planet Finder and Darwin Array propose using formations of space telescopes to identify and analyze Earth-like exoplanets.

Astronomical Discoveries and Implications

  • **Humanity's Curiosity and Ingenu