Hubble : A New Window to the Universe

At last, a book presenting the fantastic scientific results of the first five years of Hubble Space Telescope observations! While a number of books for the general public emphasize the technological accomplishments of this multi-billion dollar project or deal with the well-publicized flaw in the telescope's optics, The Hubble: A New Window to the Universe concentrates on its astromonical achievements. The authors use new and ground-breaking Hubble results to illustrate a wide range of astronomical topics, from the great questions about the universe as a whole to quasars and black holes, and from the life and death of stars to our planetary neighbors in the solar system. The first part of this book presents a brief historical overview, "e;From Babylon to Cape Canaveral,"e; concentrating on progress in astromony from the instrumentation point of view and on the Hubble project itself. The central and largest portion presents the wealth of exciting astronomical results obtained with the Hubble. The last part describes the Hubble operations, as well as the plans for the future of the telescope itself and beyond. The text contains a large number of spectacular images, mainly taken with the Hubble, as well as self-contained portraits of astronomers and explanations of astronomical topics and instruments. Written in a style appealing to both the interested public and to individuals familiar with the field, this compendium serves as a testament to the significant role the Hubble has played in astronomical accomplishment and discovery the past five years.