Spring Symposium 2008
The universe is more complex than we imagined it to be a decade ago. Observations now indicate that the expansion of
the universe is accelerating. It is as if the universe is filled with a sea of "dark energy," the pressure of which
counteracts the pull of gravity on large scales. The past decade marked the discovery of dark energy and the revelation
of our profound ignorance of the cosmos, and dark-energy research over the next decade may well lead the way to a deeper
understanding of the laws of physics. The Space Telescope Science Institute's 2008 Spring Symposium, "A Decade of Dark Energy", will focus on cutting-edge issues in the study
of dark energy. Read more...
Hubble Servicing Mission 4
Hubble precisely measured the age of the universe. It found evidence of dark energy. It brought you images of distant
galaxies in the young universe. And now, with the state-of-the-art instruments delivered by Servicing Mission 4 (SM4),
the Hubble Space Telescope will look onto the universe with new eyes, surpassing even its previous vision. Hubble was
designed to be repaired and upgraded by astronauts, and these servicing missions have occurred several times since
Hubble’s launch in 1990. NASA has selected a crew for the upcoming servicing, and the astronauts have begun
training. Read more...