Hubble Telescope Essay

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Cosmology is the research of the history and development of the universe. The universe is ever expanding and humanity may never discover all it’s secrets. Cosmology has, however helped us understand a lot more about how the universe is the way it is now. There are many tools and instruments used in cosmology, such as the Hubble Space Telescope. This essay will discuss how the Space Hubble Telescope works, and which parts play which role in discovering news things about the universe and space. The physics and workings of the tools inside this instrument will be explained. What this space telescope helps us discover about the universe and the reliability of that found knowledge will also be discussed and assessed.

The Hubble Space Telescope, named after Edwin Hubble, is an operational telescope orbiting outside the earth’s atmosphere at about 600 km above the surface of the earth. Funded for construction in the 1970s and built by NASA, it was scheduled to launch in 1983. Due to technical difficulties the eventual launch was on the 25th of April, 1990. The Hubble Space Telescope is known as the most useful cosmology tool in use today.

The Hubble Space Telescope is made up of five main parts. The diagram on the right marks these on the instrument. The communications antenna sends back the images made with the telescope. It also receives instructions sent by the cosmologists controlling it from earth. The communication antenna sends these instructions to the control and pointing systems, which move the telescope to the desired position. The solar panels on the side power the telescope. In space, the solar panels can absorb more energy from the sun, due to there being less interference from the earth’s atmosphere. The energy from th...

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...n space came to be how they are now, and to find more about how the universe develops. This telescope is also very environmentally friendly, as it only uses energy from the sun. However, the process of launching this space instrument did cost about 1.5 billion US dollars. After its launch there were also many unforeseen technical difficulties. Five servicing missions were organised to repair the space telescope.

The effectiveness of this space telescope in the knowledge and information it has given humanity cannot be measured by money. The quality of the telescope is very high, as it is outside the earth’s atmosphere, which is known to block light. That is why telescopes on earth are usually on high mountains where there is thinner atmosphere so as to produce clearer pictures. As the space telescope is in space, the interference of the atmosphere is non-existent.

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