Speaker 1: Welcome to Bedtime Astronomy. Explore the wonders of the cosmos
Speaker 1: with our soothing Bedtime Astronomy podcast. Each episode offers a
Speaker 1: gentle journey through the stars, planets, and beyond, perfect for
Speaker 1: unwinding after a long day. Let's travel through the mysteries
Speaker 1: of the universe as you drift off into a peaceful
Speaker 1: slumber under the night sky. Hubble b I that transformed
Speaker 1: the cosmos. The Hubble Space Telescope HST is one of
Speaker 1: the most iconic and transformative scientific instruments ever created. Launched
Speaker 1: in nineteen ninety, the Hubble has provided humanity with some
Speaker 1: of the most detailed and breathtaking images of the universe,
Speaker 1: revolutionizing our understanding of space. This narrative delves into the history, achievements,
Speaker 1: an impact of a Hubble space telescope. The origins of
Speaker 1: a Hubble space telescope date back to the nineteen forties,
Speaker 1: when astronomer Linemen Spitzer first proposed the idea of a
Speaker 1: space based observatory. Spitzer recognized the limitations of ground based telescopes,
Speaker 1: which are hampered by the Earth's atmosphere. Atmospheric turbulence distorts
Speaker 1: light from stars, causing them to twinkle and blurring the
Speaker 1: images captured by ground based telescopes. A telescope in space
Speaker 1: above the atmosphere could provide much clearer and more detailed
Speaker 1: views of the universe. Spitzer's vision began to take shape
Speaker 1: in the nineteen seventies with the development of the Large
Speaker 1: Space Telescope LST project, which would later be renamed the
Speaker 1: Hubble Space Telescope in honor of the pioneering as astronomer
Speaker 1: Edwin Hubble. Edwin Hubble's observations in the nineteen twenties revealed
Speaker 1: that the universe is expanding, a discovery that laid the
Speaker 1: foundation for the Big Bang theory. Naming the space telescope
Speaker 1: after him was a fitting tribute to his contributions to astronomy.
Speaker 1: The Hubble Space Telescope project was a collaboration between NASA
Speaker 1: and the European Space Agency ESA. The ambitious endeavor faced
Speaker 1: numerous technical, financial, and political challenges. Designing a telescope that
Speaker 1: could operate in the harsh environment of space required innovative
Speaker 1: engineering solutions. The telescope needed to be extremely precise, with
Speaker 1: a mirror capable of capturing faint light from distant celestial objects.
Speaker 1: Construction of the Hubble Space Telescope began in the late
Speaker 1: nineteen seventies, and by the mid nineteen eighties it was
Speaker 1: nearing completion. However, the project faced a major setback with
Speaker 1: the Challenger disaster in nineteen eighty six. The Space Shuttle
Speaker 1: Challenger exploded shortly after launch, leading to a reevaluation of
Speaker 1: the Space Shuttle program and delays for the Hubble project.
Speaker 1: Despite these challenges, the Hubble Space Telescope was finally ready
Speaker 1: for launch in nineteen ninety. On April twenty fourth, nineteen ninety,
Speaker 1: the Space Shuttle Discovery lifted off from Kennedy Space Center,
Speaker 1: carrying the Hubble Space Telescope into orbit. The deployment of
Speaker 1: Hubble marked a significant milestone in space exploration, and astronomers
Speaker 1: eagerly anticipated the first images from the telescope. However, initial
Speaker 1: images revealed a problem. The images were blurred due to
Speaker 1: a flaw in the primary mirror. This flaw, known as
Speaker 1: spherical aberration, was caused by a manufacturing error that left
Speaker 1: the mirror slightly misshapen. The discovery of the flaw was
Speaker 1: a major setback and a source of embarrassment for NASA. However,
Speaker 1: the agency quickly devised a plan to fix the telescope.
Speaker 1: In nineteen ninety three, a Space Shuttle mission was launched
Speaker 1: to install corrective optics, effectively giving Hubble a pair of
Speaker 1: glasses to correct the aberration. This mission, known as STS
Speaker 1: sixty one, was a resounding success. Astronauts installed the corrective
Speaker 1: optics space Telescope at seal replacement co star and other instruments,
Speaker 1: restoring Hubble's vision and allowing it to capture the sharp,
Speaker 1: detailed images that it is known for today. With its
Speaker 1: vision corrected, the Hubble Space Telescope began to fulfill its promise,
Speaker 1: providing stunning images and groundbreaking scientific data. One of its
Speaker 1: early triumphs was the observation of the impact of comet
Speaker 1: Shoemaker Levy nine on Jupiter in nineteen ninety four. Hubble
Speaker 1: captured detailed images of the comet fragments colliding with Jupiter's atmosphere,
Speaker 1: providing valuable insights into the dynamics of such impacts and
Speaker 1: the composition of the planet's atmosphere. Hubble's observations have had
Speaker 1: a profound impact on our understanding of the universe. One
Speaker 1: of its most significant contributions has been the determination of
Speaker 1: the rate of extras expansion of the universe, known as
Speaker 1: the Hubble constant. By observing distant galaxies and measuring their redshifts,
Speaker 1: Hubble provided precise measurements that have helped refine our understanding
Speaker 1: of the age and size of the universe. The Hubble
Speaker 1: Space Telescope has also played a crucial role in the
Speaker 1: study of exoplanets, planets that orbit stars outside our Solar system.
Speaker 1: In nineteen ninety five, Hubble provided the first direct detection
Speaker 1: of an exoplanet's atmosphere, revealing the presence of sodium in
Speaker 1: the atmosphere of the planet HD two zero nine four
Speaker 1: five eight B. This observation marked the beginning of a
Speaker 1: new era in the study of exoplanets and their potential habitability.
Speaker 1: Another groundbreaking discovery made by Hubble was the identification of
Speaker 1: dark energy, a force that is causing the acceleration of
Speaker 1: the universe's expansion. In the late nineteen nineties, observations of
Speaker 1: distant supernova by Hubble and other telescopes led to the
Speaker 1: realization that the universe is not only expanding, but doing
Speaker 1: so at an accelerating rate. This discovery was a major
Speaker 1: surprise and has led to a reevaluation of cosmological models,
Speaker 1: with dark energy now believed to make up about sixty
Speaker 1: eight percent of universe. Pubble's contributions to the study of
Speaker 1: galaxies have been equally significant. The telescope has provided detailed
Speaker 1: images of galaxies at various stages of their evolution, revealing
Speaker 1: the processes that shape them. One of the most famous
Speaker 1: images captured by Hubble is the Hubble Deep Field, a
Speaker 1: long exposure image taken in nineteen ninety five that revealed
Speaker 1: thousands of galaxies in a tiny patch of sky. This
Speaker 1: image provided a glimpse into the early universe and has
Speaker 1: been followed by even deeper observations such as the Hubble
Speaker 1: Ultra Deep Field and the Extreme Deep Field. The Hubble
Speaker 1: Space Telescope has also provided stunning images of nebulae, the
Speaker 1: vast clouds of gas and dust where stars are born.
Speaker 1: One of the most iconic images is the Pillars of Creation,
Speaker 1: taken in nineteen ninety five, which shows towering columns of
Speaker 1: gas and dust and the evil nebula. These images have
Speaker 1: not only provided valuable scientific data, but have also captured
Speaker 1: the public's imagination, showcasing the beauty and grandeur of the universe.
Speaker 1: In addition to its scientific achievements. The Hubble Space Telescope
Speaker 1: has under gone several servicing missions to ensure its continued
Speaker 1: operation and upgrade its instruments. The first servicing mission in
Speaker 1: nineteen ninety three was followed by subsequent missions in nineteen
Speaker 1: ninety seven, nineteen ninety nine, two thousand two, and two
Speaker 1: thousand and nine. Each mission involved Space Shuttle crews performing
Speaker 1: complex spacewalks to replace and repair Hubble's instruments, install new technology,
Speaker 1: and extend the telescope's operational life. The two thousand nine
Speaker 1: servicing mission, known as STS one twenty five, was particularly significant.
Speaker 1: It was the final Shuttle mission to Hubble and involve
Speaker 1: the installation of two new instruments, the Wide Field Camera
Speaker 1: three WFC three and the Cosmic Origin Spectrograph costs. These
Speaker 1: instruments have enhanced Hubble's capabilities, allowing it to observe the
Speaker 1: universe in greater detail and across a broader range of wavelengths.
Speaker 1: As Hubble approaches its third decade in space, it continues
Speaker 1: to make groundbreaking discoveries and inspire awe. One of its
Speaker 1: recent achievements includes the observation of interstellar objects passing through
Speaker 1: our Solar System. Such as O Muamuah in twenty seventeen
Speaker 1: and comet two ice slash Borisov in twenty nineteen. These
Speaker 1: observations have provided valuable insights into the properties and origins
Speaker 1: of objects from outside our Solar system. Hubble has also
Speaker 1: contributed to our understanding of the outer planets and their moons.
Speaker 1: Its observations of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune have revealed
Speaker 1: details about their atmospheres, rings, and moons, contributing to our
Speaker 1: knowledge of the gas giants in their complex systems. For example,
Speaker 1: Hubble's images of Jupiter's Great Red Spot have provided a
Speaker 1: long term record of changes in the size and color
Speaker 1: of this massive storm. The Hubble Space Telescope's ability to
Speaker 1: observe the universe in multiple wavelengths, from ultraviolet to near infrared,
Speaker 1: has allowed scientists to study a wide range of astronomical phenomena.
Speaker 1: Its observations of the ultraviolet light from young stars have
Speaker 1: provided insights into star formation and the conditions in the
Speaker 1: early universe. The near infrared capabilities of Hubble have enabled
Speaker 1: the study of distant galaxies and the discovery of some
Speaker 1: of the oldest and most distant objects in the universe.
Speaker 1: The legacy of the Hubble Space Telescope extends beyond its
Speaker 1: scientific contributions. It has had a profound impact on public
Speaker 1: engagement with astronomy and space science. Bestunning images captured by
Speaker 1: Hubble have been widely shared in the media, featured in books,
Speaker 1: and displayed in museums and planetariums around the world. These
Speaker 1: images have sparked curiosity and inspired countless individuals to learn
Speaker 1: more about the universe. Educational programs and resources associated with
Speaker 1: Hubble have also played a crucial role in inspiring the
Speaker 1: next generation of scientists and engineers. NASA and ESA have
Speaker 1: developed a range of educational materials, including classroom activities, online resources,
Speaker 1: and public outreach programs to engage students and educators with
Speaker 1: Hubble's discoveries. The Hubble Heritage Project, for example, has created
Speaker 1: a collection of high quality images and educational materials that
Speaker 1: highlight the telescope's most significant observations. The Hubble Space Telescope's
Speaker 1: legacy will continue through its data archive in the new
Speaker 1: James Webb Space Telescope JWST. The JWST was designed to
Speaker 1: complement and extend Hubble's capabilities with its larger mirror and
Speaker 1: advanced instruments JWST can observe the universe in the infrared,
Speaker 1: allowing it to peer through dust clouds and study the
Speaker 1: formation of stars and galaxies in even greater detail. Hubble's
Speaker 1: data archive, containing decades of observations, will remain a valuable
Speaker 1: resource for astronomers for years to come. The vast amount
Speaker 1: of data collected by Hubble has already led to thousands
Speaker 1: of scientific papers and will continue to be mined for
Speaker 1: new discoveries. The archive ensures that Hubble's contributions to science
Speaker 1: will endure long after the telescope itself has ceased operations.
Speaker 1: In conclusion, the Hubble Space Telescope has revolutionized our understanding
Speaker 1: of the universe and provided some of the most iconic
Speaker 1: images in the history of astronomy. From its troubled beginnings
Speaker 1: and initial setbacks to its subsequent triumphs and ongoing contributions,
Speaker 1: Hubble's journey has been one of perseverance, innovation, and discovery.
Speaker 1: Its observations have reshaped our knowledge of the cosmos, from
Speaker 1: the formation of stars and galaxies to the expansion of
Speaker 1: the universe and the nature of dark energy. M