Hubble Heritage Project
Encyclopedia
The Hubble Heritage Project was founded by a group of astronomer
s in 1998. The team releases on an almost monthly basis pictures of celestial objects like planet
s, star
s, galaxies and galaxy cluster
s.
A team of astronomers and image processing specialists selects images from the Hubble Space Telescope's public data archive, which are usually only shared within the astronomical community. Because most of the photos were taken for scientific reasons they often lack sufficient exposure
across a range of colors. A small amount of observation time with the Hubble Space Telescope
has been granted to the team to fill in the gaps in these images.
The Project has been recognized for its contribution to public inspiration in producing some of the most aesthetically-pleasing images ever produced in astronomy. Achievements for the team include the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
2003 Klumpke-Roberts Award
for "outstanding contributions to the public understanding and appreciation of astronomy." In 2002, two Heritage images were selected in the Rochester Institute of Technology
's "Images From Science" traveling gallery exhibit. Several images have been selected by the US and UK postal systems. In 2000, a first-class US postage stamp showing the Ring Nebula
was one of five Hubble images selected to be part of a commemorative series of stamps honoring astronomer Edwin P. Hubble
.
The website of the project contains a lot of information about the NASA
/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, including a lot of interesting images taken by the Hubble, and information about the future of Hubble. The images on the site are the most notable ones taken by Hubble, and are specifically enhanced with color for release to the public. They are available in different formats, including as computer wallpaper
s.
Astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
s in 1998. The team releases on an almost monthly basis pictures of celestial objects like planet
Planet
A planet is a celestial body orbiting a star or stellar remnant that is massive enough to be rounded by its own gravity, is not massive enough to cause thermonuclear fusion, and has cleared its neighbouring region of planetesimals.The term planet is ancient, with ties to history, science,...
s, star
Star
A star is a massive, luminous sphere of plasma held together by gravity. At the end of its lifetime, a star can also contain a proportion of degenerate matter. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun, which is the source of most of the energy on Earth...
s, galaxies and galaxy cluster
Galaxy cluster
A galaxy cluster is a compact cluster of galaxies. Basic difference between a galaxy group and a galaxy cluster is that there are many more galaxies in a cluster than in a group. Also, galaxies in a cluster are more compact and have higher velocity dispersion. One of the key features of cluster is...
s.
A team of astronomers and image processing specialists selects images from the Hubble Space Telescope's public data archive, which are usually only shared within the astronomical community. Because most of the photos were taken for scientific reasons they often lack sufficient exposure
Exposure (photography)
In photography, exposure is the total amount of light allowed to fall on the photographic medium during the process of taking a photograph. Exposure is measured in lux seconds, and can be computed from exposure value and scene luminance over a specified area.In photographic jargon, an exposure...
across a range of colors. A small amount of observation time with the Hubble Space Telescope
Hubble Space Telescope
The Hubble Space Telescope is a space telescope that was carried into orbit by a Space Shuttle in 1990 and remains in operation. A 2.4 meter aperture telescope in low Earth orbit, Hubble's four main instruments observe in the near ultraviolet, visible, and near infrared...
has been granted to the team to fill in the gaps in these images.
The Project has been recognized for its contribution to public inspiration in producing some of the most aesthetically-pleasing images ever produced in astronomy. Achievements for the team include the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
Astronomical Society of the Pacific
The Astronomical Society of the Pacific is a scientific and educational organization, founded in San Francisco on February 7, 1889. Its name derives from its origins on the Pacific Coast, but today it has members all over the country and the world...
2003 Klumpke-Roberts Award
Klumpke-Roberts Award
The Klumpke-Roberts Award was established from a bequest by astronomer Dorothea Klumpke-Roberts and recognizes outstanding contributions to the public understanding and appreciation of astronomy...
for "outstanding contributions to the public understanding and appreciation of astronomy." In 2002, two Heritage images were selected in the Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester Institute of Technology
The Rochester Institute of Technology is a private university, located within the town of Henrietta in metropolitan Rochester, New York, United States...
's "Images From Science" traveling gallery exhibit. Several images have been selected by the US and UK postal systems. In 2000, a first-class US postage stamp showing the Ring Nebula
Ring Nebula
The famously named "Ring Nebula" appears in the northern constellation of Lyra and is located in the Carina–Sagittarius Arm...
was one of five Hubble images selected to be part of a commemorative series of stamps honoring astronomer Edwin P. Hubble
Edwin Hubble
Edwin Powell Hubble was an American astronomer who profoundly changed the understanding of the universe by confirming the existence of galaxies other than the Milky Way - our own galaxy...
.
The website of the project contains a lot of information about the NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, including a lot of interesting images taken by the Hubble, and information about the future of Hubble. The images on the site are the most notable ones taken by Hubble, and are specifically enhanced with color for release to the public. They are available in different formats, including as computer wallpaper
Computer wallpaper
Wallpaper is an image used as a background of a graphical user interface on a computer screen or mobile communications device. On a computer it is usually for the desktop, while for a mobile phone it is usually the background for the 'home' or 'idle' screen...
s.