Telescopes? There might be one in your living room right now, or a closet, or on a balcony.
You've likely come across a few of these stargazing tools more than a few times, but there's one telescope we'll never hold in our hands nor haul out to our backyard.
It's Hubble Space Telescope, the low-orbiting wonder that began keeping a very close eye on very far-off places over three decades ago.
But wait: There is a way to interact with Hubble, or at least a NASA-helmed exhibition devoted to the telescope, which has captured incredible images of the nebulae, supernovas, planet surfaces, and other cosmic finds.
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It is, in short, an excellent eye on the universe.
And although the telescope's story hasn't been without a few dramatic twists and turns, Hubble has most excellently aided astronomers, and the astronomy-obsessed public, with grokking to galactic discoveries and Milky Way mysteries in a way that wasn't possible prior to its 1990 launch.
NASA is spotlighting this star-watching star in the new, free-to-see Hubble Traveling Exhibit, which just set down its landing gear at Mount Wilson Observatory. It's a perfect location for a Hubble-themed celebration, as astronomer Edwin Hubble, the telescope's legendary namesake, made a number of discoveries while working at the observatory a century or so ago.
The science-strong show, which is filled with hands-on experiences, nifty models, fabulous photographs, and more, will shine all summer long, closing on Sept. 4, 2022.
While not "huge in size," per the Mt. Wilson team, the exhibit certainly has a huge impact, and is hugely important for understanding the telescope. Due to space considerations (as in room-space, not space-space), only "about half" of the traveling exhibit is on display at the observatory.
Some of the "twists and turns" the telescope has weathered will be detailed, as well as how problems are addressed, from afar, by the brilliant fast-thinkers located here on terra firma.
And examining all of the complex instruments located onboard Hubble?
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Those, too, will receive their own section of the exhibition, all to further clarify that this telescope isn't like the traditional scope we occasionally set up in the backyard (though finding any similarities might be a fun task, too, while visiting the show).
But the displays aren't solely about what's inside Hubble, but what's out there, way out there, too.
"The exhibit contains images and data taken by Hubble of planets, galaxies, regions around black holes and many other fascinating cosmic entities that have captivated the minds of scientists for centuries," shares the exhibition page.
Mount Wilson Observatory's summer season is nearly in full swing, with concerts set to take place in the 100-inch telescope dome, astronomy lectures, and nights open to public viewing.
Check out ticket prices, and other need-to-knows, if you'd like to attend one of the historical observatory's warm-weather events.
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