Great Space Observatories: Hubble, Spitzer, Chandra & James Webb Space Telescope
Encyclopedia/1. The Cosmos & The Natural World/3. Astronomy & Planetary Science/02. Exoplanets & Biosignatures • Curated by Admin Timeline.sg
The great space observatories—Hubble, Spitzer, Chandra, and the James Webb Space Telescope—have revolutionized astronomy by observing the universe across different wavelengths from above Earth's atmosphere. From Hubble's deep fields to Webb's first images of cosmic dawn, these telescopes have unveiled galaxies, exoplanets, and black holes, reshaping our understanding of the cosmos.
Chronological Storyline (41 Milestones)
Apr 24, 1990 CE
Hubble Space Telescope Launched
The Hubble Space Telescope was launched aboard Space Shuttle Discovery, ushering in a new era of space-based astronomy. #astronomy #space
Hubble Space Telescope Launched By NASA - http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/shuttle/sts-125/html/s125e012050.html, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6833760
May 20, 1990 CE
Hubble Takes First Image
Hubble captured its first image of star cluster NGC 3532, but later discovered a flaw in its primary mirror. #astronomy
Dec 2, 1993 CE
Servicing Mission 1 Fixes Hubble's Vision
Space Shuttle Endeavour's crew installed corrective optics, restoring Hubble's sharp vision and enabling its great discoveries. #astronomy #space
Servicing Mission 1 Fixes Hubble's Vision By Askeuhd - Own work based on: STS061-98-050 - Astronauts Musgrave and Hoffman during servicing of HST (Raw scan).tif by NASA, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=111428533
Jul 16, 1994 CE
Hubble Captures Comet Impact on Jupiter
Hubble provided detailed images of fragments of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 colliding with Jupiter, yielding unprecedented data. #astronomy
Dec 18, 1995 CE
Hubble Deep Field Reveals Distant Galaxies
The iconic Hubble Deep Field image showed thousands of galaxies in a tiny patch of sky, providing a glimpse into the early universe. #astronomy #cosmology
Hubble Deep Field Reveals Distant Galaxies By Robert Williams (NASA, ESA, STScI) - Hubblesite.org: http://hubblesite.org/image/388/gallery, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=396007
Feb 11, 1997 CE
Servicing Mission 2 Upgrades Hubble
Space Shuttle Discovery crew replaced instruments and repaired insulation, extending Hubble's capabilities. #astronomy
Servicing Mission 2 Upgrades Hubble By Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center - https://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/SearchPhotos/photo.pl?mission=STS082&roll=703&frame=9, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=149590035
1998 CE
Hubble Helps Discover Dark Energy
Observations of distant supernovae with Hubble contributed to the discovery that the universe's expansion is accelerating, leading to the concept of dark energy. #cosmology
Jul 23, 1999 CE
Chandra X-ray Observatory Launched
NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory was deployed from Space Shuttle Columbia, providing high-resolution X-ray views of the universe. #astronomy #xray
Chandra X-ray Observatory Launched By NASA/CXC/NGST - http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/details.cgi?aid=11185 (image link), Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=38252467
Aug 26, 1999 CE
Chandra Captures First X-ray Image
Chandra's first light image of supernova remnant Cassiopeia A revealed a shocked debris cloud and a central neutron star. #astronomy
Chandra Captures First X-ray Image By X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; IR: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/L. Frattare and K. Arcand - NASA's Chandra Releases 'Red, White, and Blue' Universe for US 250th, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=194886891
Dec 19, 1999 CE
Servicing Mission 3A Repairs Hubble
Space Shuttle Discovery replaced failing gyroscopes and other components, keeping Hubble operational. #astronomy
Servicing Mission 3A Repairs Hubble By Askeuhd - Own work based on: STS103-713-048 - Steven Smith and John Grunsfeld repairing Hubble during STS-103 (Raw scan).tif by NASA, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=145579619
Nov 27, 2001 CE
Hubble Detects First Exoplanet Atmosphere
Hubble detected sodium in the atmosphere of exoplanet HD 209458b, marking the first direct detection of an exoplanet atmosphere. #exoplanets #astronomy
Hubble Detects First Exoplanet Atmosphere By Aldaron, a.k.a. Aldaron - Own work, incorporating public domain images for reference planets (see below), inspired by Thingg's size comparison, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8903868
Mar 1, 2002 CE
Servicing Mission 3B Installs ACS
The Advanced Camera for Surveys was installed, greatly enhancing Hubble's imaging power. #astronomy
Servicing Mission 3B Installs ACS By NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration - http://mix.msfc.nasa.gov/abstracts.php?p=2819, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6909680
Aug 25, 2003 CE
Spitzer Space Telescope Launched
NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, an infrared observatory, was launched to study cool objects like dust clouds and exoplanets. #astronomy #infrared
Spitzer Space Telescope Launched By NASA/JPL-Caltech - http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/images/3072-SIRTF-Spitzer-Rendered-against-an-Infrared-100-Micron-Sky, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=85585
Mar 9, 2004 CE
Hubble Ultra Deep Field Released
The Hubble Ultra Deep Field image revealed the most distant galaxies ever seen, peering back over 13 billion years. #astronomy #cosmology
Hubble Ultra Deep Field Released By NASA and the European Space Agency. Edited by Noodle snacks - https://hubblesite.org/contents/news-releases/2004/news-2004-07.html, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5276968
Jun 15, 2005 CE
Hubble Discovers Two Moons of Pluto
Hubble discovered Nix and Hydra, two small moons orbiting Pluto, expanding knowledge of the Kuiper Belt. #astronomy
Hubble Discovers Two Moons of Pluto By NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute/Alex Parker - http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/Galleries/Featured-Images/image.php?page=1&gallery_id=2&image_id=544, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=71082405
Jul 22, 2005 CE
Spitzer Detects Light From Exoplanets
Spitzer became the first telescope to directly detect light from an exoplanet, HD 209458b, opening a new window for studying alien worlds. #exoplanets #astronomy
Aug 21, 2006 CE
Chandra Reveals Dark Matter in Bullet Cluster
Observations of the Bullet Cluster by Chandra provided direct evidence for dark matter by mapping its gravitational influence. #astronomy #cosmology
Chandra Reveals Dark Matter in Bullet Cluster By User:Mac_Davis - http://cxc.harvard.edu/symposium_2005/proceedings/files/markevitch_maxim.pdf, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1080845
Dec 26, 2006 CE
Hubble Captures Most Distant Supernova of Its Time
Hubble observed a distant Type Ia supernova, helping refine measurements of cosmic expansion. #astronomy #cosmology
May 11, 2009 CE
Final Servicing Mission to Hubble
Space Shuttle Atlantis performed the last servicing mission, installing new instruments like WFC3 and repairing others, extending Hubble's life. #astronomy #space
Final Servicing Mission to Hubble By NASA - http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/shuttle/sts-125/html/s125e007066.html, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6788315
Jul 15, 2009 CE
Spitzer Warm Mission Begins
After exhausting cryogen, Spitzer continued operations with two short-wavelength channels for exoplanet and small body studies. #astronomy
Apr 24, 2010 CE
Hubble Celebrates 20 Years in Orbit
Hubble marked two decades of science with a new image of the Carina Nebula, highlighting its ongoing contributions. #astronomy
Sep 26, 2011 CE
Hubble Discovers Farthest Galaxy at That Time
Hubble set a record by observing galaxy UDFj-39546284, seen as it was 13.3 billion years ago. #astronomy #cosmology
Hubble Discovers Farthest Galaxy at That Time By Hubble Space TelescopeCredit: NASA, ESA, G. Illingworth, R. Bouwens, and the HUDF09 Team - NASA's Hubble Finds Most Distant Galaxy Candidate Ever Seen in Universe: STScI-2011-05, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12819858
Sep 25, 2012 CE
Hubble eXtreme Deep Field Released
The combined image from 10 years of Hubble observations showed galaxies from the early universe, pushing farther back than ever. #astronomy
Jul 11, 2013 CE
Hubble Reveals True Color of Exoplanet
Hubble determined that exoplanet HD 189733b is deep blue, likely due to silicate particles in its atmosphere. #exoplanets #astronomy
Hubble Reveals True Color of Exoplanet By SevenSpheres - Own work, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=99268874
Apr 14, 2014 CE
Chandra Captures Most Detailed X-ray Image of Crab Nebula
Chandra's high-resolution image of the Crab Nebula showed the pulsar's torus and jets, revealing dynamics. #astronomy
Chandra Captures Most Detailed X-ray Image of Crab Nebula By NASA, ESA, J. Hester and A. Loll (Arizona State University) - A Giant Hubble Mosaic of the Crab Nebula, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=516106
Apr 23, 2015 CE
Hubble Celebrates 25 Years with Westerlund 2
Hubble's 25th anniversary image featured the star cluster Westerlund 2, showcasing its continued excellence. #astronomy
Mar 3, 2016 CE
Hubble Spots Most Distant Galaxy GN-z11
Hubble set a record by observing galaxy GN-z11, seen as it was 13.4 billion years ago. #astronomy #cosmology
Hubble Spots Most Distant Galaxy GN-z11 By NASA, ESA, P. Oesch (Yale University), G. Brammer (STScI), P. van Dokkum (Yale University), and G. Illingworth (University of California, Santa Cruz) - https://hubblesite.org/contents/news-releases/2016/news-2016-07.html; see also https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2016/hubble-team-breaks-cosmic-distance-record/ and http://www.spacetelescope.org/images/heic1604a/, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=47308431
Oct 19, 2016 CE
Hubble Observes Interstellar Visitor 'Oumuamua
Hubble provided detailed images of the first known interstellar object passing through the Solar System. #astronomy
Hubble Observes Interstellar Visitor 'Oumuamua By Alan Fitzsimmons (Astrophysics Research Centre, Queen's University Belfast), Isaac Newton Group (https://www.ing.iac.es/ - Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias) Derivative: nagualdesign - https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap171103.html (https://apod.nasa.gov/ : NASA : Government of the United States), Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=64241614
Feb 22, 2017 CE
Spitzer Discovers Seven Earth-Sized Planets
Spitzer observations, combined with ground telescopes, revealed a system of seven Earth-sized planets orbiting the ultracool dwarf star TRAPPIST-1. #exoplanets #astronomy
Spitzer Discovers Seven Earth-Sized Planets By Processing and color compositing by Nrco0e; original images by Sloan Digital Sky Survey - Own work; processed from images acquired from the SDSS DR17 archive, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=191888700
Oct 5, 2018 CE
Hubble Discovers First Exomoon Candidate
Hubble detected evidence of a moon orbiting exoplanet Kepler-1625b, the first candidate exomoon. #exoplanets #astronomy
Hubble Discovers First Exomoon Candidate By NASA, ESA - https://www.spacetelescope.org/images/heic1817a/, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=73369715
Jan 30, 2020 CE
Spitzer Space Telescope Decommissioned
NASA ended the Spitzer mission after 16 years, having greatly advanced infrared astronomy and exoplanet science. #astronomy #infrared
Apr 24, 2020 CE
Hubble Marks 30 Years of Science
The Hubble Space Telescope celebrated 30 years of revolutionary discoveries with a new image of the star-birth region NGC 3603. #astronomy
Dec 25, 2021 CE
James Webb Space Telescope Launched
The James Webb Space Telescope, the largest and most powerful space telescope ever built, launched on an Ariane 5 rocket. #jwst #space
James Webb Space Telescope Launched By NASA - https://www.jwst.nasa.gov/content/webbLaunch/whereIsWebb.html, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=114125719
Jan 24, 2022 CE
Webb Arrives at L2 Orbit
After a month of travel, Webb entered its halo orbit around the second Lagrange point, 1.5 million km from Earth. #jwst #space
Apr 28, 2022 CE
Webb's Mirror Alignment Completed
The 18 mirror segments were aligned to within nanometers, achieving diffraction-limited performance. #jwst
Jul 12, 2022 CE
Webb Reveals First Full-Color Images
NASA released Webb's first images including the deep field SMACS 0723, exoplanet WASP-96b spectrum, and Carina Nebula. #jwst #astronomy
Aug 2, 2022 CE
Webb Detects Carbon Dioxide in Exoplanet Atmosphere
Webb's first confirmed detection of CO2 in an exoplanet atmosphere (WASP-39b) demonstrated its powerful spectroscopy. #jwst #exoplanets
Webb Detects Carbon Dioxide in Exoplanet Atmosphere By NASA, ESA, CSA, J. Olmsted (STScI) - Illustration (Artist’s Impression) of WASP-39 b and Its Star, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=125907007
Feb 8, 2023 CE
Webb Spots Earliest Galaxies Yet
Webb found galaxies from only 300-500 million years after the Big Bang, challenging models of galaxy formation. #jwst #cosmology
May 30, 2023 CE
Webb Captures Most Detailed View of Cassiopeia A
Webb's infrared image of supernova remnant Cassiopeia A revealed intricate dust structures and a central neutron star. #jwst #astronomy
Mar 4, 2024 CE
Webb Discovers Carbon Molecules in Protoplanetary Disk
Webb observed organic molecules like methane in the disk around a Sun-like star, revealing building blocks of life. #jwst #astronomy
Oct 1, 2024 CE
Chandra Celebrates 25 Years in Orbit
Chandra X-ray Observatory marked 25 years of high-energy astronomy, continuing to unveil black holes, supernovae, and dark matter. #astronomy #xray
