The Hubble Space Telescope recently celebrated its 34th anniversary with a stunning snapshot of the Little Dumbbell Nebula, also known as Messier 76. Located 3400 light-years away in the Perseus constellation, M76 is a planetary nebula formed from a red giant star ejecting a ring of gas and dust. The ring was shaped by a binary companion star, which may have been swallowed by the central star.
Hubble’s observations reveal a glowing bipolar bubble expanding into space, with a white dwarf at the center of the nebula—one of the hottest stellar remnants known. Two lobes of hot gas escape from the ‘belt’ along the star’s rotation axis at high speed, showcasing the dynamic nature of this celestial object.
Since its launch in 1990, Hubble has made 1.6 million observations of over 53,000 astronomical objects, leading to the publication of over 44,000 science papers. Its latest discoveries include finding water in the atmosphere of an exoplanet and a cosmic explosion occurring far from any host galaxy.
Hubble’s research will continue to explore various topics, including Solar System phenomena, exoplanet atmospheres, and galaxy dynamics. The upcoming James Webb Space Telescope will complement Hubble’s research by focusing on areas like protostellar discs and galaxy cores.
A joint project between NASA and ESA, with operations managed by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and the Space Telescope Science Institute, Hubble remains a vital tool in advancing our understanding of the Universe. Its groundbreaking discoveries and ongoing research continue to inspire and awe astronomers and space enthusiasts alike.
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