Space telescope Definition and 23 Threads

A space telescope or space observatory is a telescope located in outer space to observe distant planets, galaxies and other astronomical objects. Space telescopes avoid the filtering of ultraviolet frequencies, X-rays and gamma rays; the distortion (scintillation) of electromagnetic radiation; as well as light pollution which ground-based observatories encounter.Suggested by Lyman Spitzer in 1946, the first operational space telescopes were the American Orbiting Astronomical Observatory, OAO-2 launched in 1968, and the Soviet Orion 1 ultraviolet telescope aboard space station Salyut 1 in 1971.
Space telescopes are distinct from Earth imaging satellites, that point toward Earth for satellite imaging, applied for espionage, weather analysis and other types of information gathering.
Space observatories are divided into two types: Astronomical survey satellites to map the entire sky, and satellites which focus on selected astronomical objects or parts of the sky and beyond.

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  1. pinball1970

    B Circumgalactic Black hole imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope

    From NASA: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2023/hubble-sees-possible-runaway-black-hole-creating-a-trail-of-stars "We think we're seeing a wake behind the black hole where the gas cools and is able to form stars. So, we're looking at star formation trailing the black hole," said Pieter...
  2. B

    B Why is the Webb Space Telescope placed at L2?

    Why is the Webb placed at L2 (Lagrange point 2)? I read some articles that said it would be perpetually shaded being on the opposite side of the sun and moon, but that makes no sense when the Webb orbit is so huge? So why is it at L2?
  3. V

    The James Webb Space Telescope

    Maybe this is more general discussion, but I am excited / nervous about the upcoming launch of the JWST. https://jwst.nasa.gov/content/webbLaunch/countdown.html I can't wait to see the observations this endeavor will bring!
  4. anorlunda

    Lucy spacecraft and James Webb space telescope

    Apparently, one of the solar arrays on the Lucy spacecraft failed to fully deploy. https://scitechdaily.com/nasas-lucy-stable-in-cruise-mode-problematic-solar-array-is-75-to-95-deployed/ The fault may not be fatal. They may have enough solar power to complete the mission. At the same time...
  5. G

    Stargazing Could Elon Musk's Starlink orbitals piggyback telescopes?

    Elon Musk's Starlink orbital internet communication system is presently seen as a detriment for observing the cosmos by ground observers, but have astronomers thought asking Elon Musk if he would consider mounting compact low-energy telescopes on the back of his orbitals, facing away from Earth...
  6. russ_watters

    Stargazing Is the Hubble Space Telescope Dead?

    I first saw note of this about a week ago and I don't think it has gotten enough attention: https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/30/opinions/hubble-telescope-glitch-opinion-lincoln/index.html While I don't want to eulogize too soon, I'm wondering where the HST ranks in the annals of the most...
  7. M

    B Nervous about James Webb Space Telescope?

    The Hubble Telescope helped us to see how enormous the universe really is. We now know from data built up from that that the universe likely has 2 trillion galaxies in it. Now when James Webb gets out their and starts taking better pictures; I’m afraid the count of galaxies will jump to 10 or...
  8. V

    A Continuous Field Image: Hubble Deep Field & Exoplanets

    The Hubble deep field image was constructed by collecting photons from a specific region of space over a continuous duration of time; in this case ten days. As the number of collected photons increase, higher the resolution of the image. If this duration increases, how much more resolution do...
  9. Johnnyallen

    I Gaia Space Telescope and Lagrangian Point 2

    I'm confused (what else is new) about L2. While watching a video from PBS Digital Spacetime about the latest data drop from Gaia Space Telescope, Matt O'Dowd showed a CGI animation of the telescope leaving Earth then circling/orbiting L2 perpendicular to the Earth/sun plane. I thought that the...
  10. B

    Stargazing Kepler Telescope Views Single Point in Space 4.2ly Away

    Astronomers are viewing a single point in space (.1 arcseconds), using the Kepler space telescope but to view a planet 4.2 light years from the Earth that would require a planet with a diameter of more than ten times the diameter of our solar system.
  11. davenn

    Stargazing The James Webb Space Telescope construction

    cool article on the progress of the JWST constructionhttp://www.space.com/31838-james-webb-space-telescope-mirror-assembled.html?cmpid=NL_SP_weekly_2016-2-05Dave
  12. tesselate

    James Webb space telescope and fundamental physics

    Does JWST has any significance in fundamental physics research? What kind of questions would we get answers to?
  13. B

    Stargazing Why is there no Hubble-like telescope on the International Space Station?

    why is there no telescope like Hubble on the international space station/? as i know, the iss is only 150 km lower in orbit than the Hubble space telescope, and is at different inclination. Having people around is pretty convenient i think, so replacing parts and doing regular maintenance would...
  14. D.R.U

    Stargazing Mirror Mounting Structure in Space Telescope

    Hello/... Give me reference or ready made material ...for following mounting method of mirror in space telescope and its mechanical Design and structure for mounting mirror.
  15. N

    Stargazing Pictures from the Hubble Space Telescope

    78 Pictures from the Hubble Space Telescope http://www.space.com/15235-hubble-space-telescope-latest-photos.html
  16. Fightfish

    Hubble Space Telescope Diffraction Limit

    In the Hubble Space Telescope, light rays from a distant celestial object (1) first passes through an aperture window of diameter 3m (2) incident upon, and reflected by a primary mirror of diameter 2.4m (3) reflected by a secondary mirror of diameter 0.3m to form the final image. For the...
  17. J

    Angular Velocity of the Hubble Space Telescope

    Homework Statement The Hubble Space Telescope is poered by two solar panels as shown. The body of the telescope has a mass of 11 Mg and a radii of gyration kx = 1.64m and ky = 3.85m, whereas the solar panels can be considered as thin plates, eac having a mass of 54 kg. due to an internal...
  18. P

    Stargazing Hubble Space Telescope: Learn What It Is & How It Works

    What is a Hubble Space Telescope and how does it work?
  19. W

    Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Period

    Use Kepler’s laws to determine the period of the Hubble Space Telescope which orbits the Earth at an altitude of 610 km. I'm using the equation i know to find the period of an object revolving around another object T^2=Kr^3 T^2=(4pi^2/GM)*r^3 G=6.67 x 10^-11 M=5.98× 10^24 (Mass of...
  20. S

    Stargazing High-Altitude Floating Space Telescope

    Would it be feasible/practical to construct a large floating space telescope that perhaps would be incorporated into the structure of a large dirigible, blimp or balloon. Or perhaps it would simply be carried aloft by the said buoyant platform? Has anyone ever before proposed the construction...
  21. S

    Stargazing Can the Hubble Space Telescope Really See 14.5 Billion Years into the Past?

    I saw once a while back on the History Channel that Hubble looks something like 14.5 billion years into the past? I know very very very little about physics but this has me very interested. Could some one clarify this a bit? I assume that the reason Hubble looks into the past is because the...
  22. N

    Stargazing Hubble Space Telescope - O'Keefe forced to reconsider?

    According to this article, some powerful folk are fighting O'Keefe's decision: http://skyandtelescope.com/news/article_1160_1.asp You might want to have your say too.
  23. M

    Stargazing Is the James Webb Space Telescope Ready to Replace Hubble?

    NASA have definitelly chosen the primary mirror for the JWST. It will be a berylium-based mirror. The JWST will be launched in 2011 to replace the Hubble www.universetoday.com/am/publish/james_webb_mirror_approved.html Woa! I can't wait til then!
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