Introduction to the Hubble Space Telescope
The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) is a space-based observatory orbiting Earth. Hubble observes the universe in multiple wavelengths of light, from ultraviolet to visible to near-infrared.
The Hubble Space Telescope’s launch in 1990 marked the beginning of a new era in humanity’s exploration of the universe. From above Earth’s obscuring atmosphere, Hubble can obtain extremely high-resolution images and detailed spectroscopic data of the cosmos, from our solar system to the distant, early universe. Scientists submit proposals to use Hubble through an open, peer-reviewed, anonymous competition.
Through the middle of the next decade, HST will remain the only space-based telescope providing spectroscopy and high-resolution imaging at ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared wavelengths. Since the James Webb Space Telescope launched in 2021, the two observatories have been working in tandem to push astronomy forward and pursue the boldest scientific questions of our time.
Using the Hubble Space Telescope
Observatory News
Resources
Press Releases
View All HST Press Releases
Upcoming STScI Events
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Big Black Holes, Bigger Problems — Mysteries from the Dawn of Time to Our Own Backdoor
Speaker: Erini Lambrides, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Post-doctoral Fellow There is a massive black hole in the center of almost every galaxy. How did it get there, and importantly,...
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Mapping Dark Matter with Stellar Streams
Stellar streams, the tidally-disrupted remnants of globular clusters and dwarf galaxies orbiting throughout the Milky Way's halo, are some of the most powerful tools for mapping...
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Webb Office Hours
The JWST User Community is invited to call into Webb Office Hours to ask questions and directly interact with a team of STScI JWST experts via WebEx. We welcome questions about the...
HST Prefooter
HST Help Desk
Please contact the HST Help Desk with any questions.