Hubble Telescope Flashcards
1
Q
History of hubble telescope?
A
HT was named after American astronomer, Edwin Powell Hubble, who discovered the expansion of the universe leading to the Big Bang Theory and created the Hubble Law.
2
Q
The purpose of the telescope?
A
To allow astronomers to make very high resolution observations that will open new windows onto planets, stars, and galaxies.
3
Q
When was it launched?
A
April 1990
4
Q
Orbit of HT
A
It orbits about 360 miles above earth outside of its atmosphere and travels around the earth every 96 or 97 minutes.
5
Q
Two main instruments…
A
The Cameras, which capture Hubble’s famed images
Spectrographs, which break light into colors for analysis
6
Q
What are the six instruments?
A
Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS) Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) Fine Guidance Sensors (FGS)
7
Q
Power source
A
The sun
8
Q
How many observations have been made by the HT?
A
1.3 million
