Introduction to the Hubble Space Telescope

HST is a space-based great observatory that observes at ultraviolet through near infrared wavelengths. High resolution imaging and wide-ranging spectroscopic capabilities enable forefront research across all domains of astrophysics. Time on HST is awarded through an open peer-reviewed competition.

 

The Hubble Space Telescope's launch in 1990 sped humanity to one of its greatest advances in that journey. Hubble is a telescope that orbits Earth. Its position above the atmosphere gives it a view of the universe that typically far surpasses that of ground-based telescopes.

Thirty-three years since launch, the Hubble Space Telescope continues its role at the forefront of astronomy, ranging from our own Solar System to the high-redshift universe.

Through the middle of the next decade, HST will remain the only space-based telescope providing spectroscopy and high-resolution imaging at UV, optical, and near-infrared wavelengths. With the launch of JWST in 2021, the bold science questions pursued with HST will be bolstered by the complementary capabilities of the two observatories.

part of HST's Legacy ExtraGalactic UV Survey (LEGUS)
NGC 3627, part of the Hubble Space Telescope's Legacy ExtraGalactic UV Survey (LEGUS), the sharpest, most comprehensive ultraviolet-light survey of star-forming galaxies in the nearby universe. The images are a blend of ultraviolet light and visible light from Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3 and Advanced Camera for Surveys.

HST For the Public


Using the Hubble Telescope

Observatory News

Resources

Press Releases

View All HST Press Releases on Hubblesite.org 

Upcoming STScI Events

View All Events

  • On Galaxies Circumgalactic Media and Outflows

    On Galaxies Circumgalactic Media and Outflows
    6 Dec 2023

    The gas reservoir around galaxies plays a fundamental, while still poorly understood, role in regulating the growth of galaxies, in establishing the scaling relation we observe among...

  • Planetary Systems Through Time

    Planetary Systems Through Time
    13 Dec 2023

    Planets are not born in their final state. Young planets are sculpted by interactions with their host star, other planets in the system, and their greater environment. Large populations...

  • Roman at the 243rd American Astronomical Society Meeting

    Roman at the 243rd American Astronomical Society Meeting
    7-11 Jan 2024

    The 243rd American Astronomical Society (AAS) meeting will include a variety of events focused on science with Roman.

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HST Help Desk 

Please contact the HST Help Desk with any questions.