[sp name=’Hubble’]
This fall, we are exploring how space inspires progress. Solve space today by unscrambling this image of the Hubble Space Telescope, an orbital observatory that has helped scientists better understand our universe.
The Hubble Space Telescope is named after an American astronomer, Edwin Hubble, who made many groundbreaking discoveries in the early twentieth century, like finding new galaxies.
Throughout its time in service, the Hubble Space Telescope has contributed many more significant findings about our universe, such as the discovery of dark energy. Thanks to Hubble, scientists are even able to estimate the age of the universe, approximately 14 billion years.
Hubble weighs about the same as two adult African elephants, is roughly the same length as a large school bus, and orbits the Earth at a speed of 17,000 miles per hour. Since its became operational on May 20, 1990, Hubble has made over one million observations. Its data has also been used in more than 15,000 published scientific papers.
Last year marked Hubble’s 30th year in service. While the telescope will no longer be repaired, it is still functioning. Later this month, a new space telescope which is larger than Hubble, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), will launch. Unlike Hubble, the JWST will orbit the sun. It will build upon Hubble’s foundation to uncover more clues about the formation of our universe and the evolution of our solar system.
Click here to learn more about the Hubble Space Telescope, see some of our favorite Hubble images, or take a live look at what Hubble is exploring next!
