Starry-Eyed Hubble Celebrates 20 Years of Awe and Discovery

I was reminded by Bob in Texas, that Hubble Telescope has been in space looking out into the Universe for 20 years. He sent me the next two links and the YouTube presentation lets you know that we are just a speck in the vastness of space.

Here I thought I was something special but there is so much more out there. :-)
- LRK -

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Hubble’s Ultra Deep Field Now in 3D
http://badatsports.com/2009/hubbles-ultra-deep-field-now-in-3d/

Hubble took the deepest look in the darkest patch of sky for a second time with even more sensitive lenses and measurements have predictably found the eternal quote to be true:

This time though it was able to use red shift relations to map the image in 3D.

[Watch the YouTube presentation and fly though space and back into time. - LRK -]
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There is some interesting information on this second link and more links you might like to check out.
- LRK -

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Starry-Eyed Hubble Celebrates 20 Years of Awe and Discovery
http://www.hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2010/13/full/

NASA's best-recognized, longest-lived, and most prolific space observatory zooms past a threshold of 20 years of operation this month. On April 24, 1990, the space shuttle and crew of STS-31 were launched to deploy the Hubble Space Telescope into a low Earth orbit. What followed was one of the most remarkable sagas of the space age. Hubble's unprecedented capabilities made it one of the most powerful science instruments ever conceived by humans, and certainly the one most embraced by the public. Hubble discoveries revolutionized nearly all areas of current astronomical research, from planetary science to cosmology. And, its pictures were unmistakably out of this world.

At times Hubble's starry odyssey played out like a space soap opera, with broken equipment, a bleary-eyed primary mirror, and even a space shuttle rescue/repair mission cancellation. But the ingenuity and dedication of Hubble scientists, engineers, and NASA astronauts have allowed the observatory to rebound time and time again. Its crisp vision continues to challenge scientists with exciting new surprises and to enthrall the public with ever more evocative color images.

NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) are celebrating Hubble's journey of exploration with a stunning new picture, online educational activities, an opportunity for people to explore galaxies as armchair scientists, and an opportunity for astronomy enthusiasts to send in their own personal greetings to Hubble for posterity.

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If I had read my NASA News email post I would have realized that there was something to celebrate. A success story that had its ups and downs. Some of those funding issues like we keep hearing about. And some of the human error that creeps into projects, then finding ways to make it work.

Never give up, never give up, we can make it work, just give me a chance. :-)
Now twenty years old with a renewed life, looking out ever further into space.
- LRK -

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http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2010/apr/HQ_10-092_Hubble_20th_image.html
J.D. Harrington
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-5241
j.d.harrington@nasa.gov

Ray Villard
Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore
410-338-4514
villard@stsci.edu
April 23, 2010
RELEASE : 10-092

NASA's Starry-Eyed Hubble Telescope Celebrates 20 Years of Discovery

WASHINGTON -- As the Hubble Space Telescope achieves the major milestone of two decades on orbit, NASA and the Space Telescope Science Institute, or STScI, in Baltimore are celebrating Hubble's journey of exploration with a stunning new picture and several online educational activities. There are also opportunities for people to explore galaxies as armchair scientists and send personal greetings to Hubble for posterity.

NASA is releasing a new Hubble photo of a small portion of one of the largest known star-birth regions in the galaxy, the Carina Nebula. Three light-year-tall towers of cool hydrogen laced ith dust rise from the wall of the nebula. The scene is reminiscent of Hubble's classic "Pillars of Creation" photo from 1995, but even more striking.

To view the photo, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/hubble

NASA's best-recognized, longest-lived and most prolific space observatory was launched April 24, 1990, aboard the space shuttle Discovery during the STS-31 mission. Hubble discoveries revolutionized nearly all areas of current astronomical research from planetary science to cosmology.

Over the years, Hubble has suffered broken equipment, a bleary-eyed primary mirror, and the cancellation of a planned shuttle servicing mission. But the ingenuity and dedication of Hubble scientists, engineers and NASA astronauts allowed the observatory to rebound and thrive. The telescope's crisp vision continues to challenge scientists and the public with new discoveries and evocative images.

"Hubble is undoubtedly one of the most recognized and successful scientific projects in history," said Ed Weiler, associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "Last year's space shuttle servicing mission left the observatory operating at peak capacity, giving it a new beginning for scientific achievements that impact our society."

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Want to help the Hubble folks?
- LRK -

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http://www.galaxyzoo.org/
Welcome to Galaxy Zoo, where you can help astronomers explore the Universe

Galaxy Zoo: Hubble uses gorgeous imagery of hundreds of thousands of galaxies drawn from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope archive. To understand how these galaxies, and our own, formed we need your help to classify them according to their shapes — a task at which your brain is better than even the most advanced computer. If you're quick, you may even be the first person in history to see each of the galaxies you're asked to classify.

More than 250,000 people have taken part in Galaxy Zoo so far, producing a wealth of valuable data and sending telescopes on Earth and in space chasing after their discoveries. The images used in Galaxy Zoo: Hubble are more detailed and beautiful than ever, and will allow us to look deeper into the Universe than ever before. To begin exploring, click the 'How To Take Part' link above, or read 'The Story So Far' to find out what Galaxy Zoo has achieved to date.

Thanks for your help, and happy classifying.

The Galaxy Zoo team.

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Well that is what I have on the Hubble for the moment and I will get back to reading about the "Mars Wars." Then I will do some more research and try to understand why we are not
going to the Moon as planned.

Will have more on that later.
(I feel like I am watching an old Saturday Matinee, will the train run over the pretty lady tied to the railroad tracks or will she be saved at the last minute?
Come back next week and see the thrilling ending.)
- LRK -

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Mars wars : the rise and fall of the Space Exploration Initiative /.
Thor Hogan. p. cm. -- (The NASA history series) (NASA SP-2007-4410)
...
history.nasa.gov/sp4410.pdf (107 p. 2.52 MB)

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Hogan, Thor.
Mars wars : the rise and fall of the Space Exploration Initiative /
Thor Hogan.
p. cm. -- (The NASA history series) (NASA SP-2007-4410)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. Space Exploration Initiative (U.S.)
2. Space flight to Mars--Planning--History--20th century.
3. United States. National Aeronautics and Space
Administration--Management--History--20th century.
4. Astronautics and state--United States--History--20th century.
5. United States--Politics and government--1989-1993.
6. Outerspace--Exploration--United States--History--20th century.
7. Organizational change--United States--History--20th century.
I. Title.
TL789.8.U6S62 2007
629.45’530973--dc22
2007008987

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And if you missed the present discussion about funding, or not, for the Constellation program, watch the recent Webcast of the United States Senate Committee on Appropriations where NASA Administrator Bolden was questioned April 22, 2010.
- LRK -

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http://appropriations.senate.gov/

Under Recent Webcasts -
4/22/2010
Video of Hearing on FY 2011 NASA Budg
http://appropriations.senate.gov/webcasts.cfm?method=webcasts.view&id=a5d75507-dc17-4f57-b550-4981ac513b07

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I need to unclench my jaws and take a deep breath. Breath in, breath out.

Thanks for looking up with me.
- LRK -

Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/
BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/
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Newsletter: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update
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http://amazing-space.stsci.edu/hubble_20/
Amazing Space

Celebrating Hubble's 20th Anniversary

The Earth-orbiting Hubble Space Telescope sparked a revolution in astronomy when it opened its “eye” on the universe 20 years ago. The telescope’s “hall-of-fame” images and spectacular discoveries of black holes, far-flung galaxies, and gas shrouds around dying, Sun-like stars have forever changed our view of the cosmos.

[Nice video and other Hubble information and activities. - LRK -]

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WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK

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