wjz-13 1057-the-fan espn-1300

Local

Hubble Space Telescope Turns 21 This Weekend

Share this
View Comments
Hubble

BALTIMORE (AP) — The Hubble Space Telescope turns 21 this weekend.

The Baltimore-based Space Telescope Science Institute coordinates use of the Hubble telescope.

To celebrate Sunday’s anniversary of the telescope’s 1990 launch, the institute has pointed the Hubble at a photogenic pair of galaxies. The larger of the spiral galaxies has a disk distorted into a rose-like shape by the gravitational pull of the other galaxy.

Space shuttle astronauts repaired the aging space telescope in 2009 during a series of space walks. That mission was expected to extend the telescope’s life another five to 10 years.

The telescope has been one of the space program’s proudest achievements, providing breathtaking pictures of distant galaxies.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Share this
View Comments
  • Doug

    Maybe we can sell it to the Chinese.
    Or give it to them as part of debt repayment.
    we’re broke

blog comments powered by Disqus
Listen Live!

Follow CBS Baltimore

TV Schedule

Full Program Grid
7:00 PM CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley
7:30 PM Entertainment Tonight
8:00 PM Undercover Boss
9:00 PM CSI: NY
10:00 PM Blue Bloods
11:00 PM Eyewitness News at 11
11:35 PM Late Show with David Letterman

Poll Of The Day