Hubble's last Service Mission was an astounding success. Instruments and insulation blanket were repaired and upgraded, and new capability was added to this truly exceptional orbiting observatory. Hubble Space Telescope, whose importance rivals that of the first optical telescope made by Galileo, will continue to probe the mysteries of the universe through 2013. Strap yourself in for a blow-by-blow account of what Service Mission 4 and what it achieved.
Continue reading...Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Conceived in the 1970s and built amidst controversy and an ever increasing budget, the Hubble Space Telescope was launched in 1990. Despite every difficulty, five Service Missions have rigorously maintained and upgraded Hubble. In a look at the legacy of Hubble, we relive those missions, assured of extraordinary contributions to our understanding of the near and very distant, early universe through 2013.
Continue reading...Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Black Holes have been confirmed by the tens of thousands throughout the universe. Often located at the center of large galaxies, they power star formation and are the most spectacular example of a 'singularity' - an object where the laws of nature as we understand them do not apply.
Continue reading...Friday, February 6, 2009
Einstein predicted them in General Relativity and finally the first Black Hole was found in 1971. Now massive black holes are believed to live at the center of most galaxies. Black holes have infinite mass, but no volume and no dimensions. Welcome to a 'universe' where the laws of physics as we know them do not apply.
Continue reading...Wednesday, January 28, 2009
The Large Hadron Collider at CERN is of offline until summer 2009 when the search for the Higgs boson resumes. The Higgs boson is the last important prediction of the Standard Theory awaiting confirmation. A few physicists are worried that the extraordinary energies needed for the experiments will create a runaway black hole.
Continue reading...Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Astronomers made a spectacular announcement in late fall, 2008. Suspected for several years, a massive black hole has been identified at the galactic center. Black holes are still difficult to understand. They are created by the gravitational collapse of the most massive stars. Some of the star's material is blown away in a colossal explosion called a supernovae.
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Thursday, May 28, 2009
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