NASA’s Hubble Area Telescope was on the receiving finish of a tremendous area photograph for a change.
On Friday (April 24), Hubble’s thirty sixth birthday, the Colorado-based spatial intelligence firm Vantor revealed a shocking, close-up shot of the telescope that was taken the day earlier than by one in every of its WorldView Legion Earth-observing satellites.
“Celebrating 36 years of discovery with the Hubble Space Telescope,” Vantor wrote in an X post that shared the photograph. “For over three a long time, Hubble has expanded our understanding of the universe —delivering breathtaking imagery and groundbreaking science that proceed to encourage. Proud to help the applied sciences and groups that make moments like this potential.”
Celebrating 36 years of discovery with the Hubble Area Telescope đź” Collected on April 23, 2026, by one in every of Vantor’s WorldView Legion satellites, this exceptional non-Earth picture showcases Hubble from simply 61.8 km away—an unbelievable perspective of one in every of humanity’s most iconic… pic.twitter.com/pCfyWgCzASApril 24, 2026
The publish additionally provides some particulars concerning the picture and Hubble itself, which launched to low Earth orbit (LEO) aboard the area shuttle Discovery on April 24, 1990.
For instance, the in-space photograph was taken from simply 34.8 miles (61.8 kilometers) away, offering “an unbelievable perspective of one in every of humanity’s most iconic scientific devices,” the X publish reads. “With an area pattern distance of 4.0 cm [1.6 inches], Hubble’s signature cylindrical physique, gleaming thermal shielding, and prolonged photo voltaic arrays are clearly seen, together with the open aperture door on the entrance of the telescope.”
Vantor (beforehand often called Maxar Intelligence) operates six WorldView Legion satellites, all of which orbit on the similar normal altitude — round 322 miles (518 km) above Earth. The sharp-eyed spacecraft can resolve options as small as 11.8 inches (30 cm) on their residence planet.
The brand new Hubble shot was captured by WorldView Legion 4, a Vantor spokesperson instructed Area.com through electronic mail. That satellite tv for pc reached orbit atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in August 2024, together with WorldView Legion 3. (The opposite 4 rode to area on Falcon 9s in Could 2024 and February 2025, with two satellites going up on every launch.)
Hubble famously launched to LEO with a flawed mirror, which was fastened by astronauts throughout a servicing mission in 1993. The telescope has been going sturdy ever since, capturing superb imagery of the cosmos that has captivated astronomers and laypeople alike.
Hubble has lately proven indicators of its superior age, however the iconic observatory continues to make necessary scientific observations and discoveries. NASA has expressed optimism that the telescope can proceed working by means of 2035.
