Image of planet-hosting Fomalhaut star system combines data from Hubble and the ALMA observatory (Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA))
Hubble. Chandra. Spitzer. Kepler. Over the years, these and other space telescopes have provided scientists with the rich data needed to understand our universe across different wavelengths. And by revealing deep stretches of space and time, they have helped humans to better grasp the wonders of the cosmos.
Since 1990, we have been dazzled by the Hubble Space Telescope’s stunning iconic images: hot gas fleeing from a dying star, celestial objects millions of light years away, the glowing dust of distant nebulae. The Kepler Space Telescope’s survey of the sky has discovered thousands of potential and confirmed exoplanets and helped researchers understand supernovas, black holes, and the evolution of stars. The Chandra X-Ray Observatory detects emissions from hot turbulent regions of space billions of light years away with the focusing power equivalent to reading a newspaper from a half-mile away.
Sam Quinn, an astronomer with the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, explains the functions of some of the major space observatories, their unique capabilities, and the kinds of images and data they produce. As an expert in planetary formation and detection of exoplanets, Quinn discusses the contributions various observatories have made to exoplanet science. He concludes with the exciting new data from the next generation of space missions, the recent launch of the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) planet finder.
