Space Telescopes:

Telescopes located in remote location, here on Earth, and in space, help us to study the composition of the Cosmos, study the behavior of the Universe, and look as deep in the early universe as our technology allows us.

Hubble Space Telescope (HST):

The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) is a space observatory launched by NASA in 1990. It orbits Earth at an altitude of about 547 kilometers (340 miles) and is used to observe distant stars, galaxies, and other celestial objects. Hubble’s primary advantage is that it operates above Earth's atmosphere, allowing it to capture clear images without the interference of atmospheric distortion. It uses various instruments to observe in multiple wavelengths, including visible, ultraviolet, and infrared light. Hubble has provided groundbreaking images and data, contributing to key discoveries in astronomy, such as the expansion rate of the universe, the existence of supermassive black holes, and the age of the universe. It is one of the most important tools for space exploration and has greatly advanced our understanding of the cosmos.

James Webb Space Telescope (JWST):

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), launched in December 2021, is the most advanced space observatory ever built. It is the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope, designed to observe the universe in the infrared spectrum, which allows it to see farther into space and through cosmic dust clouds that obscure visible light. Positioned at the second Lagrange point (L2), about 1.5 million kilometers (1 million miles) from Earth, JWST is able to observe the formation of stars, galaxies, and planetary systems in unprecedented detail. It will also study the atmospheres of exoplanets, potentially identifying signs of habitability or life. The JWST is a joint project between NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), and it promises to revolutionize our understanding of the cosmos.

Chandra X-ray Observatory:

The Chandra X-ray Observatory, launched in 1999, is a space telescope designed to observe X-rays emitted by high-energy regions of the universe. Positioned in Earth's orbit, Chandra is capable of capturing X-ray radiation from distant objects like black holes, neutron stars, and supernova remnants—phenomena that are often invisible in visible light. With its high-resolution imaging and spectroscopy capabilities, Chandra has made groundbreaking discoveries, including the detailed study of supermassive black holes, the structure of galaxy clusters, and the behavior of matter in extreme environments. Chandra's data has been vital in understanding the most energetic and dynamic processes in the universe.

Spitzer Space Telescope:

The Spitzer Space Telescope, launched in 2003, was an infrared observatory designed to study the universe in infrared wavelengths. Spitzer allowed astronomers to peer into regions of space obscured by dust, revealing hidden star-forming regions, galaxies, and even the faintest objects in the early universe. It was the first space telescope to detect the "glow" of distant galaxies from when the universe was young. Spitzer's contributions also include the study of exoplanets, their atmospheres, and the detection of organic molecules in space. In 2020, Spitzer was officially retired after 17 years of groundbreaking scientific discovery, having expanded our understanding of the universe from a perspective unseen by optical telescopes.