The Universe Through The Eyes of Hubble

179 Pages·2014·51.596 MB·English

by  Oli Usher & Lars Lindberg Christensen

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Oli Usher It’s now almost a quarter of a century since
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Oli is a London-based science writer, who Hubble lifted off from the launch pad at the
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works as the communications manager for h Kennedy Space Center. Despite a rocky start,
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the Faculty of Mathematical and Physical is the achievements of this telescope have
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Sciences at University College London. He e surpassed every expectation.
Designed with large images and distraction-free layouts to increase the impact of n
is responsible for bringing the work of the s
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university’s scientists to the public, covering Hubble’s imagery, this book gives the reader a guided tour of the cosmos through the n Before Hubble, astronomers had never seen
the fi elds of astrophysics, space science and eyes of the Hubble Space Telescope. Before Hubble was launched in 1990, no exoplanet an exoplanet, did not know the age of the
planetary sciences among others. universe, and had never observed a galaxy
had ever been observed, dark energy was unknown, the age of the universe was a
from the infancy of the cosmos.
mystery, and the most distant objects observed were just halfway back in time to the
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Lars Lindberg Christensen Big Bang. Hubble has been the centerpiece in a revolution in astronomy, as well as Hubble has transformed our knowledge of the
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Lars is an award-winning science universe to an extent that arguably no other
giving the public a visceral connection to the Universe through its stunning images. The e
communication specialist who heads the scientifi c facility can match.

images that have been selected here explore key themes in recent astronomy, including U
European Southern Observatory’s education
and Public Outreach Department. He obtained planetary science, cosmology and stellar evolution, explaining Hubble’s contributions n Two decades on, Hubble is producing its best
his Master’s degree in physics and astronomy to our understanding of the universe. Hubble’s unique images – some never published iv science. On average two new studies based
from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, e on Hubble observations come out every day.
before – are presented together with a mix of cutting-edge science that highlights the key
Lars is Press Offi cer for the International r
discoveries of the past few years and how they fi t into Hubble’s growing list of scientifi c s
Astronomical Union (IAU), and director of two More than two decades after launch, Hubble
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astronomy documentaries. achievements. It is an unforgettable view of our amazing universe. remains the gold standard for optical

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h skeptics who branded the telescope a failure
www.spacetelescope.org
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Hubble’s discoveries and Hubble’s pictures
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show no sign of drying up any time soon. Join
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the European Hubble team in a celebration of

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The Universe Through
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the Eyes of Hubble
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Oli Usher & Lars Lindberg Christensen
9 783319 027227

Messier 15
Messier 15 is a globular cluster – a
spherical conglomeration of old stars that
formed together from the same cloud of
gas, found in the outer reaches of the Milky
Way. It is one of the densest globulars
known, and also the fi rst globular cluster
known to harbor a planetary nebula. The
planetary nebula, called Pease 1, can be
seen in this image as a small blue blob to
the left of the globular’s core.
The Universe Through
the Eyes of Hubble
Oli Usher & Lars Lindberg Christensen
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The Universe Through the Eyes of All books published by Springer are carefully produced. Nevertheless, authors,
Hubble editors, and publisher do not warrant the information contained in these books,
including this book, to be free of errors. Readers are advised to keep in mind that
statements, data, illustrations, procedural details or other items may inadvertently
be inaccurate.
The Authors ISBN: 978-3-319-02722-7
Oli Usher e-ISBN: 978-3-319-02723-4
Lars Lindberg Christensen
ESO & ESA/Hubble
Garching bei München, Germany Library of Congress Control Number: 2009930652
English language edition: Copyright © Springer International Publishing AG 2014
Design and Layout All rights reserved. This work may not be translated or copied in whole or in part
Andre Roquette & without the written permission of the publisher (Springer International Publishing
Edward Challis AG, Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland) except for brief excerpts in
ESO & ESA/Hubble connection with reviews or scholarly analysis. Use in connection with any form
Garching bei München, Germany of information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software,
or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed is
forbidden. The use in this publication of trade names, trademarks, service marks,
and similar terms, even if they are not identified as such, is not to be taken as an
expression of opinion as to whether or not they are subject to proprietary rights.
Printed on acid-free paper.
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
springer.com
Cover: Composite image of Hubble observing the Back: The Sombrero Galaxy
Tarantula Nebula The Sombrero Galaxy’s hallmark is a brilliant white,
This star-forming region lies in the Large Magellanic bulbous core encircled by the thick dust lanes
Cloud, a small galaxy which neighbors the Milky comprising the spiral structure of the galaxy. As seen
Way. It is home to many extreme conditions including from Earth, the galaxy is tilted nearly edge-on. This
supernova remnants and the heaviest star ever found. brilliant galaxy was named the Sombrero because
The Tarantula Nebula is the most luminous nebula of of its resemblance to the broad rim and high-topped
its type in the local universe. Mexican hat.
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Oli Usher
For Sarah, who reminded me that deadlines and books are both things to be treated with respect.
Lars Lindberg Christensen
For the unsung heroes from NASA and ESA who made Hubble a success.
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Table of
contents
Galaxy Cluster Abell 1703
Abell 1703 is composed of over one
hundred different galaxies that act as a
powerful cosmic telescope, or gravitational
lens. The gravitational lens produced
by the massive galaxy cluster in the
foreground (the yellow and mostly elliptical
galaxies scattered across the image) bends
the light rays in a way that can stretch the
images and so amplify the brightness of
the light rays from more distant galaxies.
In the process it distorts their shapes and
produces multiple banana-shaped images
of the original galaxies.
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Foreword 6
Preface 8
1 Origins 10
2 Spaceship Hubble 20
3 Hubble Vision 28
4 Planets 38
5 Stars & Nebulae 54
6 Galaxies 84
7 Black Holes 110
8 The Dark Cosmos 126
9 Optical Illusions 144
10 Hubble’s Future 154
A1 Hubble Timeline 164
A2 Hubble’s Top Science Accomplishments 166
A3 Other Books about Hubble 167
Image Credits 168
Index 171
The Authors 174
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Foreword
It’s now almost a quarter of a century since Over the years, Hubble has become deeply At the hub of all this activity is the Space
Hubble lifted off from the launch pad at the embedded in popular culture, with some of Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore
Kennedy Space Center. Despite a rocky the telescope’s most famous pictures now in the USA and, until recently, the Space
start, the achievements of this telescope widely recognized, appearing on TV, album Telescope–European Coordinating Facility
have surpassed every expectation. covers, newspapers and computer games. in Munich, Germany. Over the years, the
This is a testament both to the beauty of staff from NASA and the European Space
Before Hubble, astronomers had never seen Hubble’s pictures and the fascinating sci- Agency (ESA) at these two institutions have
an exoplanet, did not know the age of the ence behind them. played a huge role in pushing forward sci-
universe, and had never observed a galaxy ence, and in bringing Hubble’s discoveries
from the infancy of the cosmos. Two decades on, Hubble is producing its to the general public.
best science. On average two new studies
Hubble has transformed our knowledge of based on Hubble observations come out More than two decades after launch, Hubble
the universe to an extent that arguably no every day. remains the gold standard for optical
other scientific facility can match. astronomy, confounding the critics and the
Observing with Hubble is a very competi- skeptics who branded the telescope a failure
And it is still going strong! New cameras tive process for astronomers. Each year the after launch.
and spectrographs were installed during observing time is massively oversubscribed,
the space shuttle’s final visit to Hubble in and only the very best scientific projects Hubble’s discoveries and Hubble’s pictures
2009, leaving the telescope at the cutting have any chance at all of getting off the show no sign of drying up any time soon.
edge of technology. And as the observatory ground. Around the world, astronomers
matures, it is now delivering sharper, richer, compete for time on Hubble knowing that, Long may it continue to be so.
and more remarkable images than at any for many types of astronomy, there is no
time in its history. other observatory anywhere which can Antonella Nota
outperform it. ESA Hubble Project Scientist
& Mission Manager
Space Telescope Science Institute, August
2013
NGC 5189
This striking image shows the planetary nebula
NGC 5189. Its shape is reminiscent of a lawn sprinkler,
with matter being expelled from the central star, which
is wobbling as it rotates.
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