8. Celebrate Hubble’s 20th With Best Space Image Ever
April 23The Hubble Space Telescope did not make an appearance in our most popular stories of 2009, so we are very happy to see this mind-blowing space photo of a star-forming region in the Carina Nebula in our top ten this year.
We think this shot rivals what may be Hubble’s most famous image, a shot of the Pillars of Creation taken in 1995. The enormous pillar of gas and dust in the image above is 3 light-years tall. The seam in the middle is the result of new stars forming and emitting powerful gas jets that are ripping the pillar apart.
With the last shuttle repair mission to Hubble completed, every image the telescope sends to us could be its last. So enjoy this one, and join us in crossing our fingers that Hubble has lots of life left in it yet.
Image: NASA, ESA, and M. Livio and the Hubble 20th Anniversary Team (STScI)
Celebrate Hubble’s 20th With Best Space Image Ever
Backlink: http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/wp-content/gallery/2010-top-stories/2010topstories_hubble.jpg
