The End of Hubble?

[invert_nexus]

http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi...ull/2006/622/3

It seems that Hubble's main camera has gone into 'safe mode'. That is, it's turned itself off. This isn't the first time this has happened, but this is the longest time that has gone by before it's been able to be turned back on.

Apparently, people are getting nervous.

There are backup systems for this camera, but they've never been turned on before and they may not function properly. And even if they do, it will require weeks of recalibration so they're holding off as long as possible before even trying.

Hubble has brought us so many amazing and wonderful images of the universe in which we live.

I feel sad for the possible loss of this old workhorse.


I suppose a direction for this thread (other than a discussion of Hubble's problem) might be to share favorite hubble images?

Here's mine:

I am also partial to the Deep Field image as well. But it doesn't have the sheer beauty of this one.


But. Not all is doom and gloom:

A new and even better camera called Wide Field Camera 3 is ready to be flown to Hubble during the next servicing mission.

Cheers, Hubble. Good luck, old gal.

[Billy T]

...Cheers, Hubble. Good luck, old gal.

The photo is beautiful. Never saw it before or even any thing like it. What is it?

My guess:

Irregularly distributed plasma gas blasted into space with hole in the disribution turned to Earth? Is the Red star near center a more distant star with its blue light scattered out by fine "dust" that is falling back to some some dense residue of the star that went super nova?

More details please.

[invert_nexus]

A link explaining the Monocerotis event:
http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/new...003/10/image/a

And a series of images:

[MetaKron]

The light from other bright stars in the picture is also scattered, but the red seems to scatter further. The cloud is clearer, as are the dimmer stars, because less light scatters less. A longer exposure was needed to bring out the cloud, which is dimmer per pixel than are the stars.

[cato]

its sad really, that the Hubble is getting so old. when they didn't want to do a maintenance mission on it due to shuttle danger, I was pissed. but if they replace it with a better telescope, that would be great.

do you think they can recover Hubble? or would it burn up upon entry? it would make a great museum attraction. they could surround the walls of the exhibit with its best photos.

[Balerion]

Not to be a social commentator here, but there is a ton of ugliness in our world, with wars, corrupt politicians, and everyday things like breakups and death...but it isn't until you see something like this that you realize that while we may have tragedy and turmoil in our lives, we are surrounded by beauty. Sheer, magnificient beauty.

Whatever the origin of this universe, be it a god or a Big Bang or whatever, we are so blessed to be alive just to see it and I hope we all really appreciate it. A picture like that makes you sick to your stomach that a program like NASA is underfunded. We all care so much about aliens and if we're alone, and I think that we should simply, primarily, concern ourselves with seeing as much of the place in which we live before we die.

Joe

[spacemansteve]

Well said Joe

Hubble is an expression of mans curiosity. Our need to know the important questions of life is one of the defining characteristics of mankind. If the worst were to happen i will always remember her as the big tin can in the sky that brought so much beauty to the world that we could not see.

I remember when i went on the Victorian Youth Space Forum when i was younger, we did a "weightless" environment exercise where we simulated EVA in a large diving pool with scuba gear. Part of the exercise was to piece together a replica of the Hubble Telescope (a flimsy model made of PVC piping) but was still a fun event.

There is so much beauty in this world and its sometimes hard to find it... Hubble has helped us in so many ways

[MetaKron]

If we keep the Hubble active, we have one more eye on space that can still be used for more original research. There are questions that it can answer that we don't even know to ask yet. Letting it die is like putting out one of our own eyes.

[Vega]

Everything has a working life span and Hubble is already showing signs of it.

It would be great if it could stay up there as long as it could but maybe hubble's history of problems could open a window to a new generation of enhanced optical technology to map out the cosmos !!

[Pete]

I suppose a direction for this thread (other than a discussion of Hubble's problem) might be to share favorite hubble images?

I am also partial to the Deep Field image as well. But it doesn't have the sheer beauty of this one.

The Ultra Deep Field image has to be the most awe-inspiring, but my favourites are also two of the most well known (for good reason, I think!):

The Eagle Nebula:


Eta Carinae:

[MetaKron]

They were going to send instruments up that would have greatly extended Hubble's range. It's about like getting a whole new instrument on the cheap.

[Balerion]

Well, I just hope that if and when Hubble fails, NASA sends up a bigger (or smaller) and better one. Hubble itself will always be fondly remembered, but its lifespan is not important. What is important is that we never stop searching for new things in the universe, and the biggest part of that Hubble, or something like it.

[invert_nexus]

This just in:
http://www.sciencemag.org/content/vo...l#313/5783/29c

The ACS (Advanced Camera for Surveys) has been successfully brought back online.
Congrats, Hubble.

And. While I'm here: