Hubble

by Fischer, Daniel; Duerbeck, Hilmar W.; Jenkner, Helmut; Duncan, Douglas

• ISBN13: 9780387946726
• ISBN10: 0387946721
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1996-05-01
• Publisher: Copernicus Books

Summary

In this book we see the first fruits of Hubble's long and difficult journey. Recounts the long path that led to Hubble's launching, describes how it is currently being used and offers a glimpse into the future of telescopes in space. Illustrations in color. DLC: Hubble Telescope.

Table of Contents

Foreword	7	(2)
Preface	9	(2)
Part 1 From Babylon to Cape Canaveral	11	(50)
Larger, Higher, More Expensive ... From Simple Tools to the Telescope of the Nineties	13	(6)
Space Astronomy-Picture Window to the Universe	19	(5)
The Hubble's Thorny Path into Space	24	(37)
Why an Optical Telescope in Space?	24	(2)
From the Idea to the Countdown	26	(6)
In Orbit	32	(7)
The Scandal of the Defective Mirror	39	(6)
Hubble's Difficult Years	45	(6)
The Servicing Mission	51	(10)
Part 2 The New Window to the Universe: The Hubble and Astronomy	61	(92)
The Great Questions: How Large and How Old Is the Universe?	63	(10)
Cepheids	67	(2)
Globular Clusters	69	(2)
The Hubble and the Big Bang Helium	71	(2)
Island Worlds in Space and Time: Galaxies and Quasars	73	(20)
Gravitational Lenses in the Universe	83	(2)
Are Quasar Theories Out of Date?	85	(6)
Mysterious Galaxies	91	(2)
Large and Small Lights: The World of Stars	93	(9)
The Most Massive Stars	93	(2)
The Least Massive Stars	95	(1)
Families and Clans of Stars: Open and Globular Clusters	96	(6)
Gas and Dust: Of Life and Death of Stars	102	(23)
The Orion Nebula: Nursery of Stars and Planets?	102	(3)
Jets and Star Formation	105	(1)
Planetary Nebulae: A Colorful Finale	105	(13)
Close-up of Stellar Death: Supernova 1987A	118	(3)
A Stellar Ruin: The Cirrus Nebula	121	(1)
A Different Kind of Stellar Explosions: Novae	122	(3)
Our Galactic Home-The Solar System	125	(28)
Are We Alone in the Universe?	125	(1)
Where Are the Limits of Our Solar System?	126	(1)
Pluto	127	(2)
Neptune	129	(1)
Uranus	130	(1)
Saturn	131	(6)
Taking Aim at Jupiter	137	(8)
The Asteroids	145	(2)
Mars	147	(6)
Part 3 Hubble at Work-And Looking Beyond	153	(14)
Working with Hubble	155	(5)
Hubble's Next Decade	160	(4)
What Comes After Hubble?	164	(3)
Part 4 Appendix	167	(5)
Want to See More?	169	(1)
Further Reading	170	(2)
Index	172