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We all know those amazing images, right?

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Swirling galaxies nebulae across space stars being born.

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Absolutely.

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I bet most people don't realize

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a lot of those pictures come from the same place,

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the Hubble Space Telescope.

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Yeah.

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It's been up there, what, three decades now?

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Over 30 years, yeah.

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Crazy, but what's the story behind it?

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What makes Hubble such a game changer for astronomy?

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Hmm, well.

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Welcome to Cosmos in a pod, the space and astronomy series.

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So to start, think about trying to take a picture

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like through a rippling pool.

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That's kind of what it's like trying to observe space

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from down here on Earth.

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Ah, I see.

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Our atmosphere makes everything blurry.

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Right.

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Hubble, though, orbits above all that about 340 miles up.

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Wow.

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Yeah, and from that vantage point,

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it can capture those incredibly sharp images

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that we're all used to seeing.

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So it's like having a crystal clear window

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to look through into the universe.

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No.

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That's pretty ingenious, but why Hubble?

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Who was it named after?

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It's named after Edwin Hubble, an astronomer

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who made some groundbreaking discoveries

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about the expanding universe back in the early 20th century.

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OK.

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And just like its namesake, the telescope itself

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has expanded our understanding of the cosmos

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in ways we really couldn't have imagined before it.

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That makes sense.

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So what was it actually built to do?

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I mean, what were the big goals for Hubble?

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One of the main goals was to look into the early universe.

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By capturing light from the most distant galaxies and stars,

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Hubble helps us understand how the universe evolved

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over billions of years.

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So like a time machine.

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Exactly.

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It's a time machine.

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That's amazing.

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Allowing us to observe the cosmos as it

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was billions of years ago.

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That's mind-blowing.

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So it's not just taking pretty pictures, then.

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It's about understanding the history of the universe itself.

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Yeah, exactly.

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Another key objective was to accurately measure

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the universe's expansion.

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How do they do that?

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So we do that by using special types of stars

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called suffide variables and type Ia supernovae.

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These stars act as what we call standard candles.

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Their intrinsic brightness is known.

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So we can calculate their distance

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by how bright they appear to us.

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By observing these stars in distant galaxies,

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we can figure out how fast they're moving away from us,

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which gives us a precise measurement of the universe's

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expansion rate.

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So it's like using a cosmic yardstick

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to map out the universe.

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Fascinating.

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What else was on Hubble's to-do list?

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Well, how about searching for alien worlds?

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Really?

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Yeah.

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Hubble can actually analyze the atmospheres of planets

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orbiting other stars.

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Wow.

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Looking for signs of life.

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You know, we're talking about the possibility

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of discovering extraterrestrial life.

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Whoa.

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So Hubble is tackling some of the biggest questions

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in astronomy.

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How did the universe begin?

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Are we alone?

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That's incredible.

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But it wasn't all smooth sailing for Hubble.

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What do you mean?

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Well, it had a bit of a rocky start.

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Oh.

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What happened?

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Shortly after its launch in 1990,

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scientists discovered a flaw in Hubble's primary mirror.

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Oh.

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During the manufacturing process,

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it was polished to the wrong curvature.

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So like a giant space telescope with blurry vision?

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Essentially, yes.

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The images it sent back were out of focus

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and unusable for the kind of science it was designed to do.

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Yeah, it was a huge setback for the entire project.

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That must have been devastating.

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Did they just abandon it?

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Thankfully, no.

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In 1993, NASA sent astronauts on a very daring mission

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to repair Hubble in space.

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Hold on.

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They fixed a giant telescope in orbit.

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That sounds incredibly risky.

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It was an incredibly complex and risky maneuver,

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but thankfully, it was a success.

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That repair mission turned Hubble

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into the powerful instrument we all know and love today.

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Talk about a comeback story.

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So once it was fixed, what were some of the major discoveries

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Hubble made?

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What's it known for?

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Oh, there are so many groundbreaking findings.

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Perhaps one of the most iconic is the Hubble Deep Field.

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OK.

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In 1995, they pointed Hubble at a seemingly empty patch

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of sky, a tiny region smaller than a grain of sand

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held at arm's length.

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Wow.

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They kept it focused there for 10 straight days, collecting

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as much light as possible.

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10 days on one tiny speck of sky.

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Why?

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They wanted to see what was hiding in the depths of space

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beyond what we could see with normal telescopes.

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And the results were astonishing.

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Hubble revealed thousands of galaxies

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some billions of light years away in that tiny patch of sky.

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It completely changed our understanding

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of just how vast and populated the universe really is.

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It's like finding a whole hidden universe where

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we thought there was nothing.

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What other incredible things did Hubble uncover?

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Well, Hubble's observations provided the first conclusive

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evidence that the expansion of the universe

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is actually accelerating.

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What?

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Yeah.

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This discovery led to the concept of dark energy,

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a mysterious force that seems to be pushing everything apart

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at an ever-increasing rate.

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Dark energy.

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That sounds like something out of science fiction.

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I know, right?

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But it's real.

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And Hubble played a crucial role in its discovery.

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It also helped us pinpoint the age of the universe,

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determining it to be about 13.8 billion years old.

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It's older than anything you could possibly imagine.

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It really is.

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It seems like Hubble is rewriting our understanding

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of the universe.

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What about those alien worlds we talked about earlier?

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Did Hubble find anything there?

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Yes.

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Remember how we discussed Hubble's ability to analyze

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exoplanet atmospheres?

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Well, for the very first time, it detected water vapor methane

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and other key molecules in the atmospheres

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of distant planets.

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Head out.

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It was a monumental discovery, opening up

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a whole new field of research and bringing us

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closer to potentially finding signs of life beyond Earth.

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That's incredible.

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I remember those iconic images of the pillars of creation.

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Those were from Hubble, right?

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Absolutely.

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Those stunning images captured the Eagle Nebula,

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a star-forming region where massive pillars of gas and dust

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are illuminated by the intense light of newborn stars.

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Wow.

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It's like witnessing the birth of stars in real time,

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millions of light years away.

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It's just mind-blowing to think we can see those kinds of events

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happening from such a distance.

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So Hubble is doing more than just making scientific discoveries.

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It's capturing these awe-inspiring images that

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really capture the public imagination.

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You hit the nail on the head.

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Hubble's images have had a profound impact on our culture.

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They've become iconic symbols of space exploration,

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inspiring artists, writers, filmmakers, and countless others.

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They've certainly inspired me.

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They make you realize just how vast and beautiful

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the universe truly is.

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And it's not just about the beauty.

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They've also made science more accessible to the public.

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Exactly.

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Those stunning visuals communicate

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complex scientific concepts sometimes better

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than words can.

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It's helped ignite a passion for astronomy and people

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all over the world.

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It really is amazing how a single telescope

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can have such a profound impact on both science and culture.

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I know.

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It's really something.

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So Hubble's been up there for over three decades.

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And we've talked about the mirror issue early on.

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But I imagine keeping a telescope working

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for that long in space must be a lot of work, right?

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You're absolutely right.

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NASA has actually sent astronauts

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on five separate servicing missions

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to repair and upgrade Hubble over the years.

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Five missions.

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Wow, that's dedication.

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What kinds of things do they fix or upgrade?

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Everything from replacing faulty gyroscopes,

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which helped point the telescope to installing

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new cameras and scientific instruments to boost

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Hubble's capabilities.

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One of the most significant upgrades

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was the installation of the Wide Field Camera 3 in 2009.

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Yeah, this significantly enhanced Hubble's ability

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to observe in both visible and ultraviolet light,

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allowing it to capture even more breathtaking images

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and make groundbreaking discoveries.

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So it's like giving Hubble a regular tune-up

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to keep it running smoothly.

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But even with all those upgrades,

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isn't there a limit to how long it can keep going?

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After all, it's been up there for a long time.

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You're right.

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Even the best maintained machines have a lifespan.

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And remember, the last servicing mission

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was in 2009 when the space shuttle program retired.

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There's no way to send astronauts to fix it anymore.

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So Hubble's on its own now.

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It is.

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And while it's still delivering valuable observations,

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it does face some challenges with aging components.

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I see.

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After over 30 years in space, some parts

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are starting to show their age.

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It's like a vintage car.

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It still runs beautifully, but it needs a little extra care

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and attention.

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That makes sense.

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So what does the future hold for Hubble?

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Is it nearing the end of its mission?

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That's a great question.

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And it leads us to another fascinating chapter

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in space exploration.

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But I think that's a story for part two of our deep dive.

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OK, you've definitely piqued my curiosity.

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Listeners, we'll be back soon with part two

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to discuss Hubble's legacy and what

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the future holds for space telescopes.

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Until then, keep looking up.

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So we left off talking about Hubble's future.

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Right.

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It's a bit bittersweet, isn't it?

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Yeah, a little bit.

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This incredible instrument that's

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revolutionized our understanding of the universe

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is inevitably nearing the end of its operational life.

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It is sad to think about, especially

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after everything we've talked about that it's accomplished.

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But I am really curious to hear what

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you're going to say about this being a new chapter

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in space exploration.

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Right.

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What did you mean?

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Well, even though Hubble's time is limited,

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it's paved the way for a whole new generation of space

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telescopes.

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It's like it's passing the torch to its successors, each one

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building on the knowledge and technology that came before.

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That's a great way to put it.

277
00:09:19,440 --> 00:09:22,400
So which telescopes are stepping up to carry on Hubble's legacy?

278
00:09:22,400 --> 00:09:23,940
Well, the most prominent one right now

279
00:09:23,940 --> 00:09:27,000
is the James Webb Space Telescope, or JWST.

280
00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:28,480
Oh, yeah.

281
00:09:28,480 --> 00:09:30,760
It launched in 2021, and it's already

282
00:09:30,760 --> 00:09:34,320
sending back breathtaking images and groundbreaking data.

283
00:09:34,320 --> 00:09:35,920
Yeah, I've seen some of those pictures.

284
00:09:35,920 --> 00:09:36,920
They're incredible.

285
00:09:36,920 --> 00:09:39,280
How does JWST compare to Hubble?

286
00:09:39,280 --> 00:09:40,680
What's different about it?

287
00:09:40,680 --> 00:09:44,280
Well, for starters, JWST is much larger than Hubble.

288
00:09:44,280 --> 00:09:48,080
Its primary mirror is over six times the size of Hubble's,

289
00:09:48,080 --> 00:09:50,640
which means it can collect way more light,

290
00:09:50,640 --> 00:09:53,640
allowing it to see even fainter and more distant objects.

291
00:09:53,640 --> 00:09:56,160
So it's like having an even bigger and more powerful eye

292
00:09:56,160 --> 00:09:56,720
on the universe.

293
00:09:56,720 --> 00:09:57,760
Precisely.

294
00:09:57,760 --> 00:09:59,600
But it's not just about size.

295
00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:03,960
JWST is also designed to observe an infrared light,

296
00:10:03,960 --> 00:10:06,560
which is particularly important for studying

297
00:10:06,560 --> 00:10:07,520
the early universe.

298
00:10:07,520 --> 00:10:10,000
Why is infrared light so important for that?

299
00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:14,160
Because as the universe expands, light from distant objects

300
00:10:14,160 --> 00:10:16,840
gets stretched, shifting its wavelength

301
00:10:16,840 --> 00:10:19,000
towards the red end of the spectrum.

302
00:10:19,000 --> 00:10:21,260
The most distant objects whose light has been traveling

303
00:10:21,260 --> 00:10:23,840
for billions of years are so red shifted

304
00:10:23,840 --> 00:10:25,960
that their light is mostly in the infrared part

305
00:10:25,960 --> 00:10:27,080
of the spectrum.

306
00:10:27,080 --> 00:10:30,560
So JWST can see things that are so far away and so old

307
00:10:30,560 --> 00:10:32,560
that their light is invisible to Hubble.

308
00:10:32,560 --> 00:10:33,400
Exactly.

309
00:10:33,400 --> 00:10:35,240
It's like peering through a cosmic fog

310
00:10:35,240 --> 00:10:37,200
that Hubble can't penetrate.

311
00:10:37,200 --> 00:10:41,120
JWST is allowing us to see back to the very first stars

312
00:10:41,120 --> 00:10:43,760
and galaxies that formed after the Big Bang.

313
00:10:43,760 --> 00:10:44,280
Wow.

314
00:10:44,280 --> 00:10:47,200
It's literally rewriting the early chapters

315
00:10:47,200 --> 00:10:48,680
of the universe's history.

316
00:10:48,680 --> 00:10:49,400
That's incredible.

317
00:10:49,400 --> 00:10:51,720
So JWST is already making waves, but are there

318
00:10:51,720 --> 00:10:54,520
any other exciting telescopes on the horizon?

319
00:10:54,520 --> 00:10:55,120
Absolutely.

320
00:10:55,120 --> 00:10:57,760
There are several ambitious projects in development,

321
00:10:57,760 --> 00:10:59,800
each with its own unique capabilities.

322
00:10:59,800 --> 00:11:00,300
Cool.

323
00:11:00,300 --> 00:11:02,040
One that I'm particularly excited about

324
00:11:02,040 --> 00:11:05,280
is the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope

325
00:11:05,280 --> 00:11:07,800
set to launch in the mid-2020s.

326
00:11:07,800 --> 00:11:08,880
The Roman Telescope.

327
00:11:08,880 --> 00:11:09,480
OK.

328
00:11:09,480 --> 00:11:10,680
What's special about that one?

329
00:11:10,680 --> 00:11:12,400
What will it be focusing on?

330
00:11:12,400 --> 00:11:15,960
Roman is designed to have an incredibly wide field of view,

331
00:11:15,960 --> 00:11:19,520
allowing it to capture massive panoramic images of the sky.

332
00:11:19,520 --> 00:11:20,000
Wow.

333
00:11:20,000 --> 00:11:22,840
It'll be like taking a wide angle lens to the universe.

334
00:11:22,840 --> 00:11:25,080
So instead of zooming in on specific objects,

335
00:11:25,080 --> 00:11:27,360
it'll be surveying vast areas of space.

336
00:11:27,360 --> 00:11:28,020
Exactly.

337
00:11:28,020 --> 00:11:29,600
This will make it ideal for studying

338
00:11:29,600 --> 00:11:31,260
large scale structures in the universe,

339
00:11:31,260 --> 00:11:34,960
like galaxy clusters and the distribution of dark matter.

340
00:11:34,960 --> 00:11:37,360
It'll also be a really powerful tool

341
00:11:37,360 --> 00:11:40,120
for discovering and characterizing exoplanets.

342
00:11:40,120 --> 00:11:41,640
That's fascinating.

343
00:11:41,640 --> 00:11:43,320
It seems like each new telescope is

344
00:11:43,320 --> 00:11:46,640
pushing the boundaries of what we can observe and understand

345
00:11:46,640 --> 00:11:48,360
about the universe.

346
00:11:48,360 --> 00:11:50,840
It's making me think back to all the big questions

347
00:11:50,840 --> 00:11:54,080
that Hubble tackled during its mission.

348
00:11:54,080 --> 00:11:57,080
What were some of the most significant unanswered questions

349
00:11:57,080 --> 00:11:59,520
that Hubble helped address?

350
00:11:59,520 --> 00:12:01,640
Well, one of the biggest and most enduring mysteries

351
00:12:01,640 --> 00:12:05,320
in astronomy is the nature of dark matter and dark energy.

352
00:12:05,320 --> 00:12:08,280
We know they exist based on their gravitational effects,

353
00:12:08,280 --> 00:12:10,280
but we still don't know what they're made of.

354
00:12:10,280 --> 00:12:11,480
We talked about that earlier.

355
00:12:11,480 --> 00:12:14,200
They're like these invisible forces shaping the universe.

356
00:12:14,200 --> 00:12:15,200
Exactly.

357
00:12:15,200 --> 00:12:17,200
Hubble played a crucial role in mapping

358
00:12:17,200 --> 00:12:20,160
the distribution of dark matter and measuring

359
00:12:20,160 --> 00:12:22,920
the accelerating expansion of the universe,

360
00:12:22,920 --> 00:12:25,120
which is driven by dark energy.

361
00:12:25,120 --> 00:12:27,440
It provided essential clues that have really

362
00:12:27,440 --> 00:12:30,800
shaped our current understanding of these enigmatic phenomena.

363
00:12:30,800 --> 00:12:32,980
So it's like Hubble gave us a more detailed map

364
00:12:32,980 --> 00:12:35,920
of the cosmic landscape, even if we don't fully understand

365
00:12:35,920 --> 00:12:37,120
all the forces at play.

366
00:12:37,120 --> 00:12:38,760
Yeah, that's a great way to put it.

367
00:12:38,760 --> 00:12:42,080
And it's not just about dark matter and dark energy.

368
00:12:42,080 --> 00:12:44,160
Hubble also made significant contributions

369
00:12:44,160 --> 00:12:46,320
to our understanding of star formation.

370
00:12:46,320 --> 00:12:46,920
Oh, right.

371
00:12:46,920 --> 00:12:48,960
We talked about those stellar nurseries hidden

372
00:12:48,960 --> 00:12:51,240
in those clouds of gas and dust.

373
00:12:51,240 --> 00:12:52,400
Precisely.

374
00:12:52,400 --> 00:12:55,840
Before Hubble, our view of these regions was pretty limited.

375
00:12:55,840 --> 00:12:59,360
But with its ability to observe an infrared and ultraviolet

376
00:12:59,360 --> 00:13:02,320
light, Hubble could pierce through those clouds,

377
00:13:02,320 --> 00:13:06,600
revealing the processes of star birth in stunning detail.

378
00:13:06,600 --> 00:13:09,240
So Hubble acted like a cosmic X-ray machine,

379
00:13:09,240 --> 00:13:12,880
giving us a glimpse into these hidden stellar nurseries.

380
00:13:12,880 --> 00:13:13,840
Exactly.

381
00:13:13,840 --> 00:13:16,380
It provided really crucial data that allowed astronomers

382
00:13:16,380 --> 00:13:18,880
to study the temperatures, densities, and dynamics

383
00:13:18,880 --> 00:13:21,040
of these star-forming regions, leading

384
00:13:21,040 --> 00:13:23,880
to significant advances in our models of star formation

385
00:13:23,880 --> 00:13:24,760
and evolution.

386
00:13:24,760 --> 00:13:25,520
That's incredible.

387
00:13:25,520 --> 00:13:28,840
It seems like Hubble has touched on so many fundamental aspects

388
00:13:28,840 --> 00:13:29,720
of astronomy.

389
00:13:29,720 --> 00:13:31,760
What about our understanding of cosmic evolution?

390
00:13:31,760 --> 00:13:33,400
How did Hubble contribute to that?

391
00:13:33,400 --> 00:13:34,960
Well, one of Hubble's primary missions

392
00:13:34,960 --> 00:13:38,280
was to observe the earliest galaxies in the universe, those

393
00:13:38,280 --> 00:13:40,280
that formed just a few hundred million years

394
00:13:40,280 --> 00:13:41,400
after the Big Bang.

395
00:13:41,400 --> 00:13:41,920
Wow.

396
00:13:41,920 --> 00:13:44,720
By capturing light from these distant objects,

397
00:13:44,720 --> 00:13:47,000
Hubble helped us piece together a timeline

398
00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:51,120
of cosmic evolution, showing how galaxies formed, evolved,

399
00:13:51,120 --> 00:13:53,640
and interacted over billions of years.

400
00:13:53,640 --> 00:13:56,320
So it's like Hubble gave us a glimpse into the universe's baby

401
00:13:56,320 --> 00:13:58,200
pictures, showing us how it all began.

402
00:13:58,200 --> 00:13:59,280
Precisely.

403
00:13:59,280 --> 00:14:01,280
It revolutionized our understanding

404
00:14:01,280 --> 00:14:04,200
of the early universe and provided a framework

405
00:14:04,200 --> 00:14:07,400
for studying the grand narrative of cosmic evolution.

406
00:14:07,400 --> 00:14:08,040
Wow.

407
00:14:08,040 --> 00:14:09,760
It's shown us that the universe is not

408
00:14:09,760 --> 00:14:13,320
static, but a dynamic and evolving entity.

409
00:14:13,320 --> 00:14:15,160
That's just mind-blowing.

410
00:14:15,160 --> 00:14:16,920
Hubble has accomplished so much, it's

411
00:14:16,920 --> 00:14:18,640
hard to wrap my head around it all.

412
00:14:18,640 --> 00:14:20,600
It makes you realize just how far we've

413
00:14:20,600 --> 00:14:22,760
come in our understanding of the universe.

414
00:14:22,760 --> 00:14:24,400
It's truly remarkable, isn't it?

415
00:14:24,400 --> 00:14:27,200
And it's all thanks to the ingenuity and dedication

416
00:14:27,200 --> 00:14:30,160
of countless scientists, engineers, and visionaries

417
00:14:30,160 --> 00:14:31,840
who made Hubble a reality.

418
00:14:31,840 --> 00:14:32,960
It really is.

419
00:14:32,960 --> 00:14:34,960
And those breathtaking images it's captured,

420
00:14:34,960 --> 00:14:36,920
they've inspired countless people around the world,

421
00:14:36,920 --> 00:14:39,760
sparking a sense of wonder and curiosity about the cosmos.

422
00:14:39,760 --> 00:14:41,260
It's definitely had that effect on me.

423
00:14:41,260 --> 00:14:43,680
It's like they've opened a window into a realm

424
00:14:43,680 --> 00:14:45,160
I could only dream of before.

425
00:14:45,160 --> 00:14:46,160
Exactly.

426
00:14:46,160 --> 00:14:48,080
And that sense of wonder and inspiration

427
00:14:48,080 --> 00:14:51,320
is perhaps Hubble's most enduring legacy.

428
00:14:51,320 --> 00:14:53,920
It's a reminder that there's still so much out there

429
00:14:53,920 --> 00:14:57,400
to discover and that the pursuit of knowledge and understanding

430
00:14:57,400 --> 00:15:00,000
is one of the most noble endeavors we can undertake.

431
00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:00,920
Well said.

432
00:15:00,920 --> 00:15:04,000
And as we transition into part three of our deep dive,

433
00:15:04,000 --> 00:15:06,280
I'm curious to hear more about what the future holds

434
00:15:06,280 --> 00:15:09,240
for space exploration and the search for answers

435
00:15:09,240 --> 00:15:11,480
to those big cosmic questions.

436
00:15:11,480 --> 00:15:13,000
I'm happy to share what I know.

437
00:15:13,000 --> 00:15:14,600
The future of space exploration is

438
00:15:14,600 --> 00:15:18,360
bright with new and even more ambitious missions planned.

439
00:15:18,360 --> 00:15:21,640
It's an exciting time to be an astronomy enthusiast.

440
00:15:21,640 --> 00:15:24,120
We're back for the final part of our deep dive

441
00:15:24,120 --> 00:15:25,860
into the Hubble Space Telescope.

442
00:15:25,860 --> 00:15:28,640
It has been quite a journey from those early hiccups

443
00:15:28,640 --> 00:15:32,240
with the mirror to all the groundbreaking discoveries.

444
00:15:32,240 --> 00:15:35,160
Hubble has shown us the universe like we've never seen it before.

445
00:15:35,160 --> 00:15:36,000
It really has.

446
00:15:36,000 --> 00:15:37,560
Before we wrap up, though, I wanted

447
00:15:37,560 --> 00:15:40,340
to touch on something we haven't explicitly talked about yet.

448
00:15:40,340 --> 00:15:41,900
It's about the human element.

449
00:15:41,900 --> 00:15:43,320
Oh, yeah, for sure.

450
00:15:43,320 --> 00:15:45,840
Beyond the technology itself are all the people

451
00:15:45,840 --> 00:15:48,040
that made Hubble possible.

452
00:15:48,040 --> 00:15:50,480
The scientists, the engineers, the astronauts,

453
00:15:50,480 --> 00:15:52,680
the technicians, countless people

454
00:15:52,680 --> 00:15:55,680
who put their heart and soul into this amazing endeavor.

455
00:15:55,680 --> 00:15:56,520
Exactly.

456
00:15:56,520 --> 00:15:57,360
Think about it.

457
00:15:57,360 --> 00:16:00,000
Designing, building, launching, and then

458
00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:04,000
maintaining a telescope in space for over three decades.

459
00:16:04,000 --> 00:16:04,720
Incredible.

460
00:16:04,720 --> 00:16:08,600
And then there was that daring repair mission in 1993,

461
00:16:08,600 --> 00:16:11,480
sending astronauts to fix a telescope in orbit.

462
00:16:11,480 --> 00:16:12,580
Talk about bravery.

463
00:16:12,580 --> 00:16:15,520
It really speaks to our ingenuity and our dedication

464
00:16:15,520 --> 00:16:17,160
to exploring the universe.

465
00:16:17,160 --> 00:16:17,960
For sure.

466
00:16:17,960 --> 00:16:19,640
And there's an art to it, too, don't you think?

467
00:16:19,640 --> 00:16:20,360
Oh, absolutely.

468
00:16:20,360 --> 00:16:23,040
Processing those Hubble images, finding that balance

469
00:16:23,040 --> 00:16:24,360
between science and aesthetics.

470
00:16:24,360 --> 00:16:24,960
Right.

471
00:16:24,960 --> 00:16:27,000
It's what brings those distant wonders to life.

472
00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:27,880
Yeah, you're right.

473
00:16:27,880 --> 00:16:29,520
Those images aren't just data points.

474
00:16:29,520 --> 00:16:32,440
They're works of art that evoke a sense of awe and wonder.

475
00:16:32,440 --> 00:16:34,320
They've inspired so many people.

476
00:16:34,320 --> 00:16:35,480
They really have.

477
00:16:35,480 --> 00:16:37,880
It's incredible how a single scientific instrument

478
00:16:37,880 --> 00:16:39,680
can impact culture so much.

479
00:16:39,680 --> 00:16:40,360
I know.

480
00:16:40,360 --> 00:16:41,000
It is.

481
00:16:41,000 --> 00:16:43,240
It really shows our curiosity and our desire

482
00:16:43,240 --> 00:16:45,680
to find our place in this vast cosmos.

483
00:16:45,680 --> 00:16:47,000
Hubble has become a symbol, then.

484
00:16:47,000 --> 00:16:48,240
Yeah, I think so.

485
00:16:48,240 --> 00:16:50,760
Of human exploration collaboration,

486
00:16:50,760 --> 00:16:52,840
our shared quest for knowledge.

487
00:16:52,840 --> 00:16:54,000
Beautifully put.

488
00:16:54,000 --> 00:16:56,640
So as we wrap up, I want to leave our listeners thinking

489
00:16:56,640 --> 00:16:59,320
about what's next for space telescopes

490
00:16:59,320 --> 00:17:01,580
and exploring the universe, what's in store.

491
00:17:01,580 --> 00:17:03,600
Oh, the future is incredibly exciting.

492
00:17:03,600 --> 00:17:06,240
Like we discussed earlier, the James Webb Space Telescope

493
00:17:06,240 --> 00:17:08,240
is already making waves with discoveries

494
00:17:08,240 --> 00:17:10,240
about the early universe.

495
00:17:10,240 --> 00:17:12,680
And there are so many other ambitious missions

496
00:17:12,680 --> 00:17:13,800
in the works.

497
00:17:13,800 --> 00:17:16,680
The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, for one.

498
00:17:16,680 --> 00:17:17,180
Yeah.

499
00:17:17,180 --> 00:17:19,640
It'll be surveying huge portions of the sky

500
00:17:19,640 --> 00:17:21,560
and searching for exoplanets.

501
00:17:21,560 --> 00:17:22,400
Awesome.

502
00:17:22,400 --> 00:17:24,520
We really are living in a golden age of astronomy.

503
00:17:24,520 --> 00:17:25,040
We are.

504
00:17:25,040 --> 00:17:27,480
There's never been a better time to be stargazing.

505
00:17:27,480 --> 00:17:29,000
That's fantastic to hear.

506
00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:31,160
It sounds like we're on the cusp of even more amazing

507
00:17:31,160 --> 00:17:32,480
discoveries.

508
00:17:32,480 --> 00:17:34,800
For our listeners out there who are feeling inspired

509
00:17:34,800 --> 00:17:38,000
by Hubble's legacy, what advice would you give them?

510
00:17:38,000 --> 00:17:39,640
Never stop exploring.

511
00:17:39,640 --> 00:17:42,560
There's a whole universe out there waiting to be discovered.

512
00:17:42,560 --> 00:17:45,400
Read books, watch documentaries, visit a planetarium

513
00:17:45,400 --> 00:17:47,000
or an observatory.

514
00:17:47,000 --> 00:17:48,960
Connect with other space enthusiasts.

515
00:17:48,960 --> 00:17:50,080
Great advice.

516
00:17:50,080 --> 00:17:54,000
And most importantly, never lose that sense of wonder

517
00:17:54,000 --> 00:17:57,000
and curiosity about space that Hubble has shown us.

518
00:17:57,000 --> 00:17:57,920
Couldn't agree more.

519
00:17:57,920 --> 00:17:58,600
Yeah.

520
00:17:58,600 --> 00:17:59,200
And you know what?

521
00:17:59,200 --> 00:18:01,960
If you're looking for a place to start your cosmic journey,

522
00:18:01,960 --> 00:18:03,560
check out our YouTube channel.

523
00:18:03,560 --> 00:18:04,280
Oh, yes.

524
00:18:04,280 --> 00:18:08,080
We have so many videos about Hubble, other space telescopes,

525
00:18:08,080 --> 00:18:10,080
and tons of cool astronomical stuff.

526
00:18:10,080 --> 00:18:12,240
And of course, don't forget to follow and subscribe

527
00:18:12,240 --> 00:18:15,600
to Cosmos in a pod for more deep dives into the universe.

528
00:18:15,600 --> 00:18:17,840
We'll be back soon with more stories from the cosmos.

529
00:18:17,840 --> 00:18:18,440
That's right.

530
00:18:18,440 --> 00:18:21,240
Until next time, keep looking up, keep exploring,

531
00:18:21,240 --> 00:18:23,880
and never stop asking questions about the universe around us.

532
00:18:23,880 --> 00:18:43,360
Keep wondering.