Table of Contents

Table of Contents In Full

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Icons

Several, Large Photos
A precaution for users with slower modems

A Photo Not to Miss
Pictures worth seeing -- even despite modem speed

Your Input
Where you can offer your own comments on the topic

Information Ahead!
Contains some more technical information. Still interesting, especially if you are fascinated by this topic

Pages from the Planetarium Show

The Entrancing Mysteries of Space

Understand what has intrigued sky-watchers for centuries
Galaxies and the Age of the Universe

Grouping Galaxies
Learn about Edwin Hubble's classifications
Finding the Age of the Universe
How Hubble's work inspired the launch of a Space Telescope
Observing Far-Away Realms

Setting Your Sights on the Sky
Explore the problems of observing the sky from the ground
What is the Hubble Space Telescope?
A first glance at how the HST avoids these pitfalls
Launch of the Hubble Space Telescope

A Mission out of Focus...
See why astronomers were surprised by Hubble's first images
Repairing the Hubble Space Telescope

Efforts to Improve Image Quality
Compare images before and after Hubble's repair
Installing COSTAR in Space
How astronauts made the repairs on spacewalks
Further Fix-Ups
Read about future plans for other repairs and improvements
A Comet Collides with Jupiter: The Shoemaker-Levy Nine

Disruption of the Solar Schedule
Understand why the S.-L. Nine was such an unusual, exciting occurance
Shoemakers and Levy Discover the Shoemaker-Levy Nine
How comet hunters happened upon celestial wonder
A Sensational Series of Collisions

See the bright trail of fragments as the comet hits Jupiter
Moon of Saturn: Titan

Key to the Past of Earth's Atmosphere
Titan is the only moon in the Solar System known to have its own atmosphere; learn how scientists are analyzing its composition
Differences From Earth
Look at were these similarities end
Pursuit of Titan's Surface
Understand why Titan's surface eluded astronomers for so long
Map of Titan
Explore Titan's most important geographic features with pictures from Hubble
Protoplanets and the Origin of the Solar System

Discovery and Importance
Why do astronomers look to find protoplanetary disks instead of actual planets?
Learn the purpose which protoplanets serve in astronomical observation

Clues to the Origin of the Solar System
Investigate the theory that a protosun exploded and became the star it is today
Protoplanets in the Orion Nebula

Hubble Follows Star Formation
Read about intense and relatively recent star formation in the Orion Nebula
Find out why the Orion Nebula has stirred interest in protoplanets
Evidence about the Evolution of Earth
Investigate more clues about the origins of Earth and of the Solar System
Other Possibilities for Proplyds
Grasp the full implications of what proplyds could very well do
Dark Matter

The Notion of Dark Matter
A clear introduction to the invisible world of dark matter

Evidence of Dark Matter in the Universe
Astronomers try to prove the existence of this material
Dr. Vera Rubin Explains Dark Matter
Read one astronomer make her case for dark matter
Hubble Explores the Realm of Dark Matter
View results from the Hubble Space Telescope's searches for Dark Matter

Supernovae

Early Observations of Supernovae
Learn of how supernovae were mistaken for star formation
Birth of Supernova 1987A

An explosion leaves only dim remnants of a star
Will Supernova 1987A Shine Again?
When a supernova explodes, it leaves only a small dense core and usually nothing remains to rise from the dead.
Even if Supernova 1987A does arise again, what would be its source of light?
Hubble may also have evidence that the supernova's debris may collidewith the supernova itself and may even explode again.

A complete discussion of the important questions surrounding the possible reappearance of Supernova 1987A

Black Holes

The Whole Story
A light lesson on how science fiction has lead us astray
What Are Black Holes?
The definition of a black hole
Hubble Detects a Black Hole
Hubble measures the speed of gas in the black hole
Explore how astronomers were able to find a black hole using Hubble

Gravitational Waves

The Ripple Effect
Why gravitational waves have the power to role across all of space
Detecting Gravitational Waves
Learn how astronomers are seeking proof of the existance of these waves
Transformation of the Cartwheel Galaxy: Galactic Collisions

A Collision Forever Changes the Cartwheel Galaxy

The impact leaves a spiral galaxy without a shape

The Cartwheel Collision Creates a Quasar
Understand what astronomers know about quasars and read about what still remains a mystery
Astronomical Assessment of the Cartwheel Collision
Why no one knows exactly what caused the crash
Measuring the Age of the Universe

Confusing, Contradicting Calculations
One of astronomy's greatest mysteries remains unsolved
Methods of Finding the Age of the Universe
Learn how hubble helps

Explore three of the best techniques for calculating the age of the universe being used by astronomers today:

Red-shift

The Importance of Light Waves
Learn about the wavelengths and colors of light
Hubble's Law Expands on Redshifting
Understand how Hubble's Law uses redshifting to find the age of the universe
Difficulties with the Method
Explore gravitational pulls and other problems with the redshifting estimate

Cepheid Variables

Shedding Light on Cepheid Variables
Understand the importance of cepheids and see how small they really are
The Distances to Cepheid Variables
How distance data gives the age of the universe
Cepheid Variables Provide Another Age for the Universe
Early estimates and work still to be done with the HST

Globular Clusters

Creation of Globular Clusters
Learn how our galaxy's clusters could be used to estimate the age of the universe
Star Stability and the Main Sequence
Understand the basic life of a star
Various Sorts of Sizzling Stars
From huge and hot to small and chilly
Death of Stars and the Age of Clusters
Stars that go off of the beaten path and help astronomers estimate the age of the universe
Epilogue

Inconsistency in the Age of the Universe Debate
Learn why this is not such a terribly dire problem for the field of cosmology
Future Exploration: Where do we go from here?
What Hubble will accomplish.... Plus, comment on what you would accomplish with Hubble!

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Supplemental Articles

Hubble Space Telescope
- Design of the Space Telescope: A Cut-Away View
  
  Click on an interactive cut-away diagram of the HST to learn how each part works
- Development of the Space Telescope: From Galileo to Today
  
  From Galileo and the telescope to early speculation in the 1920's to the launch in 1990
- Timeline of the Space Telescope
  
  Important dates in the history of the HST
Biographies
- The Life of Nicolaus Copernicus
  
  Early Life and Education
  An astronomer without a degree in astronomy
  Astronomy in his Day
  When planets were believed to revolve around the earth!
  Copernicus's Theory
  The idea of a solar system originates with Copernicus
  The Legacy of Copernicus
  How he eventually revolutionized our view of the universe
- The Life of Galileo Galilei
  
  Early Life and Education
  From law and medicine to mathematics and science
  Astronomy in Galileo's Day
  The great debate over the Copernican solar system
  Galileo and the Telescope
  Understand that Galileo popularized -- not invented -- the telescope
  Galileo v. Rome
  Galileo confronts the Roman Catholic Church over scientific truth
  Galileo's Contributions to Scientific Method
  Was Galileo responsible for the development of scientific method?
  The Legacy of Galileo
  Galileo: an inspiration to belivers in scientific truth
- The Life of Edwin Hubble
  
  Early Life and Education
  An early enthusiasm in books and astronomy
  Hubble and the Observatory
  His life careers at Mount Wilson and Mount Palomar
  Hubble's "Island Universe" Theory
  How Hubble proved the existance of galaxies beyond the Milky Way
  The Expanding Universe
  Learn why Einstein had to change his equations on relativity to account for Hubble's discovery
  Classification of Galaxies
  Spirals, Ellipticals and Irregulars
  Hubble's . . . Legacy?
  Why Hubble deserves recognition for revolutionizing our view of the universe
- The Life of Johannes Kepler
  
  Early Life and Education
  How Kepler catches the attention of astronomer Tycho Brahe
  Astronomy in Kepler's Day
  A world still staunchly opposed to Copernicus
  Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion
  His monumental proposal of elliptical orbits
  The Importance of Kepler
  A basis for Isaac Newton's later study of planetary motion
  Kepler's Contributions
  The first substantial evidence to prove Copernicus
- The Life of Isaac Newton
  
  Early Life and Education
  The absentminded schoolboy and university scholar
  Principia and the Theory of Gravity
  Universal gravitation: the basis for Newton's contributions to astronomy
  Newtonian Theories and Astronomy
  Composition of Light
  Gravitation and Planetary Motion
  How Newton related his laws to important astronomical contributions
  Later Life
  From MP to master of the mint, from member of the Royal Society to Society president
  Newton's Legacy
  Putting the world's greatest scientist in perspective: "I stand upon the shoulders of the giants of the past"
Planets and Galaxies
- Cataloging Galaxies: Spirals
  
  Standard Spirals: A Recognizable Shape
  Twisting arms and a bulging nucleus
  Star Formation in Spirals
  Gas and dust make spirals a perfect environment for new stars to be formed
  Barred Spirals
  A spiral sub-division: spirals with arms that wind around a bar, instead of a bulge
- Cataloging Galaxies: Ellipticals
  
  Shapes
  From perfect globes to skewed spheres
  Light of Ellipticals
  An illuminating example of a bright elliptical
  Star Formation in Ellipticals
  In debris-free ellipticals, stars simply do not form
  Explosive Action in Centaurus A
  Stars exploding in this galaxy have thrown out a thick ring of debris
- Cataloging Galaxies: Irregulars
  
  Hubble's Odd Assortment
  Irregulars: left over from the galaxy catalog
  Similarity to Spirals
  Why irregulars are closer to spirals than to ellipticals, especially in star formation
- The Milky Way Galaxy
  
  Similarities to Other Spirals
  With three spiral arms and a bulging nucleus, the Milky Way fits the description
  Andromeda and Other Galaxies
  The Local Group of nearby galaxies
  The Magellanic Clouds: Satellite Galaxies
  Large Magellanic Cloud
  Small Magellanic Cloud
  Two galaxies visible to the naked eye in the southern hemisphere
- Jupiter
  
  Size
  How many Earths can Jupiter, the Solar System's largest planet, hold?
  Orbit and Rotation
  Revolving around the sun and literally spinning up a storm
  Clouds
  The ever-changing swirls that make the planet so fascinating
  The Great Red Spot
  This huge hurricane alone is twice as large as Earth
  Surface
  Find out what lies below the cover of the clouds
  Satellites
  The Galilean moons, Jupiter's four largest satellites. Plus, a link to a breaking news feature.
- Saturn
  
  Size
  The Solar System's second largest planet, after Jupiter
  Orbit and Spin
  Revolution and rotation
  Clouds
  Learn about the clouds that are completely covered by a thick haze
  Surface
  What lies below the haze and under the cover of the clouds? Probably an ocean of liquid hydrogen
  Rings
  Explore the rings that have entranced countless generations of sky-watchers, from Galileo to today
  Satellites
  Saturn has 18 confirmed moons -- more than any other planet
Mythology
- Roman Religion
  
  A very brief overview of Roman religion that attempts to put the mythology into perspective
- The Myth of Andromeda
  
  Origins of Andromeda
  The ancient "chained maiden"
  Ut fabula est...
  "As the story goes..." -- our version of the myth
- The Myth of Cassiopeia
  
  Origins of Cassiopeia
  The mythological Queen of Ethiopia
  Ut fabula est...
  "As the story goes..." -- our version of the myth
- The Myth of Orion
  
  Origins of Orion
  The Roman hunter
  Ut fabula est...
  "As the story goes..." -- our version of the myth
- Jupiter: King of the Roman Gods
  
  Jupiter and the Roman People
  The Roman equivilant of Zeus
  Jupiter and the Gods
  Learn how Jupiter ruled the gods
Other Astronomy
- Light Pollution
  
  The Problem of Light Pollution
  See how it affects astronomers, from amateur to advanced
  Causes of Excessive Light Pollution
  Learn how billboards and streetlights contribute to the night-time urban glow
  Solving the Problem of Light Pollution: The International Dark-Sky Association
  Look at one group that is campaigning for better night lighting and darker skies
  How Light Pollution Affects You
  If you have ever had light pollution get in the way of your observing, then we would like to hear from you

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