Space Telescopes
The Earth's atmosphere is constantly shimmering and blocks wavelengths other than visible light.
So the best place for astronomical observations is space.
This telescope, named after Edwin Hubble, is probably the most famous space telescope in history.
It took the picture of the oldest galaxies known to humankind.
Hubble Space Telescope, launched 1990
Hubble’s mission is being followed by the James Web Space Telescope, which is seven times larger.
It will help us see farther and deeper than ever before.
James Webb Space Telescope, scheduled 2021
Seeking the first light of the universe was the COBE space telescope.
It observed the cosmic microwave background radiation,
which revealed the shape of the universe 380,000 years after the big bang.
COBE, Cosmic Background Explorer, launched 1989
Superseding the COBE mission, the WMAP observed this cosmic microwave background radiation
in more detail, revealing more secrets about the early universe.
WMAP, Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe, launched 2001
The PLANCK mission provided even more detail.
It confirmed the predictions of the big bang theory
and discovered the universe to be 13.8 billion years old.
Planck, launched 2009
The Kepler Space Telescope detects the dimming of light that occurs
when a planet crosses in front of a star.
Its precision instruments not only help us to discover planets,
they help us identify what type of planet - big and gaseous, or dense and rocky.
Kepler, launched 2009
Kepler's replacement, TESS, now covers an area of sky 400 times larger than Kepler.
It is examining 200,000 stars, helping us find a planet on which alien life could exist.
TESS, Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, launched 2018
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