Hubble Telescope
There has been a desire to explore the stars and the distant reaches of the galaxy ever since we were able to see the other planets of our solar system. Ever since Galileo invented and proved the power of the telescope, the quest for knowledge has put a greater and greater demand on the improvement of telescope technology and new conceptions of how to achieve photographic representations of space; it is not conceivable for astronomers and other scientists to continue to try to view heavenly bodies with starter telescopes. Many large optical telescopes have been established for use by research teams in locations amenable for astronomical viewings. Places like Hawaii, Chile and the Canary Islands are territories on which multiple high-powered telescopes reside and are used on a regular basis. However, while research stations on our planet are continuing to be improved and records for the size of the largest telescope ever created, even the tethering of a telescope to the Earth may be limiting. That is part of the allure and functionality of the Hubble Telescope, also known as the Hubble Space Telescope, and named after Edwin P. Hubble, a groundbreaking theorist in the field of astronomy whose work is commemorated by his namesake law and the Hubble constant.
Momentum for the creation of the Hubble Telescope first gathered with the observations of Mr. Hubble. Contradicting the belief that all that could be observed of our universe by man was the Milky Way Galaxy, Hubble used his telescope from a location in California to view other distant galaxies, noticing their behavior. He observed that these distant galaxies were constantly expanding, and thus, as the whole, the universe is expanding. Obviously, further theory and research on the laws and processes that defined the very universe itself were needed to be approached. However, various scientists saw limitations to the use of observatories from fixed positions on the Earth’s surface. Even in locations where interference from pollution and city lights was limited, the gases and dust present in the atmosphere that protect the entire planet also obscure our view of extraterrestrial space and, in some cases, block out types of energy completely.
Thus, the necessity for a mechanism outside of Earth’s atmospheric levels was apparent. It would be a process of innovation before the Hubble Telescope would finally be realized. The workings of the Space Race certainly paved the way for the creation of the Hubble Telescope, as Sputnik proved to be the forerunner for all forays of manned and unmanned space exploration in the decades to come, and future developments such as the space shuttle would provide the capability for transporting materials for construction and repairs of a space telescope where previous methods would have proved insufficient. With the cooperation of NASA, a national institute for the creation of a space telescope was founder. Their creation was renamed at a point in time to capture the spirit of innovation that Edwin Hubble promoted. The Hubble Telescope was launched in 1990, and to this day, is responsible for the capture of long-range telescopic images and the study of new worlds and forms of energy.