On December 25, the James Webb space telescope left Earth aboard an Ariane 5 rocket. The arrival in space of this new jewel of technology put the old Hubble into retirement, a little prematurely. If the two devices are more complementary than competitors, the arrival of James Webb inevitably makes Hubble much less attractive.
With a first shot of crazy precision and attention to detail, the “Webb” is a crazy device, but Hubble remains an object that has brought so much to the world of science. Since its launch at the very beginning of the 1990s, Hubble has made it possible to discover unknown regions of the globe, to verify decades-old physical principles, to make us understand the Universe as we have never understood it.
But even more than its immense scientific knowledge, Hubble has been – and still is – a magnificent gateway to the world of space. The telescope shots teach us a thousand and one things about the Universe, but are also simply beautiful. So to take advantage for a moment of these 30 years of research without relaunch, we have compiled in this article, “our” 5 most beautiful photos of the Hubble Space Telescope.
1- the pillars of creation
©NASA/Hubble
The Pillars of Creation is arguably Hubble’s most famous image. These immense columns of dust were captured by Jeff Hester and Paul Scowen, two researchers from the University of Arizona in 1995. They are part of the Eagle Nebula which is 7000 light years from us. To observe them, the easiest way is to look towards the constellation of the serpent.
2- The Helix Nebula
©NASA/Hubble
This planetary nebula is 650 light years from us, making it one of the closest objects to the solar system. Composed of two different layers of gas, this nebula is the result of the death of a star. Although very close to us, it is difficult to observe because it is located in a region of the sky with no real landmark.
3- The Hourglass Nebula
©NASA/Hubble
This Hubble image is not as famous as the two previous ones, but it is a magnificent shot that deserves more fame (in my opinion). At the heart of this image, two dying stars which release their gases in huge propellers. Named MyCn 18, this star gives the impression of being observed.
4- The deep field of the Universe
©NASA/Hubble
If this classification is logically filled with photos of nebulae and other galaxies taken in a singular way, one of the great occupations of Hubble was the observation of the deep field of the Universe. By plunging its optics into the confines of our world, Hubble has advanced science, delivering a spectacle of unprecedented beauty.
5- The Butterfly Nebula
©NASA/Hubble
This shot of the Paillion Nebula is special in more ways than one. Taken in 2009 by Hubble, it was one of the first photographs of the telescope’s new camera. Easily found in the heart of the constellation Scorpio, this is a bipolar planetary nebula with crazy characteristics.
Bonus – The very first Hubble image
©NASA/Hubble
So no, it’s not the most beautiful image of this top, far from it. But for the five images that we have just seen to reach the telescope, the latter had to be known to perfection by the scientific world. Before arriving at such sumptuous shots, it took years to “tame the beast” and realize the magnificent capabilities of Hubble. It only remains to hope that the same will be true with the James Webb Space Telescope, the designated successor.
