On this day in 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope entered orbit in the cargo bay of the space shuttle Discovery. Shortly thereafter, it began its continuing mission to capture images of our universe from low Earth orbit, free of the obstructions of clouds and the distortions of the atmosphere. Like its namesake, the great astronomer Edwin Hubble, the Hubble Space Telescope has transformed our understanding of the cosmos. Some of the telescope"s greatest contributions include its Deep Fields images, which peer back billions of light-years and help astronomers measure the size and age of the universe and test theories about its origin. It"s also produced jaw-dropping images of objects closer to home, like the one on today"s homepage. Here we"re looking at a maelstrom of glowing gas and dark dust within one of the Milky Way"s satellite galaxies, the Large Magellanic Cloud.
Celebrating 30 years of eye-opening images
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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The ‘Living Forest’ in Biscay, Spain
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Bear Hole Brook, Catskill Mountains, New York
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Dark skies over New Mexico
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Celebrating Flag Day: ‘O long may it wave’
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Whales in winter
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World Poetry Day
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A dramatic view of Sicily
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By the light of the fireflies
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Atlantic puffin, Iceland
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The snows of Fuji
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Womens History Month
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Honoring some real heroes of World War II
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National Park Week: Wind Cave National Park
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For Hispanic Heritage Month: Out of Many, One
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Autumn in the cypress swamp
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Piazza IX Aprile, Taormina, Sicily, Italy
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Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve
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J.R.R. Tolkien Day
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Train crossing the Tadami River in Japan
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Go Fly a Kite Day
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Great Fountain Geyser, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
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Autumn in the Prosecco Hills
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Celebrating Panama s independence
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Ready. Set. Snow.
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An underwater rainbow
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World Numbat Day
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Napping away New Year s Day
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Taughannock Falls State Park
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Mountain goats