Announcements

27 June 2017: To celebrate the display of the Hubble travelling exhibition Our Place in Space, an Astro Day was organised in the city of Chiavenna, Italy. Held on 24 June 2017 at the Teatro Società Operaia di Chiavenna, invited guests from the European Space Agency (ESA), the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) and from the European Southern Observatory (ESO) spoke to the public about Hubble’s achievements, their work with Hubble, how Hubble images are made and about the upcoming NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope. Among the speakers were Danny Lennon and Antonella Nota (ESA), Hussein Jirdeh and Carol Christian (STScI), and Lars Lindberg Christensen (ESO & ESA/Hubble). Despite the soaring summer heat, more than 100 people attended the talks and took the opportunity to ask questions about Hubble and other work done at NASA, ESA and ESO. After the talks, the Astro Day finished in Montespluga, in Madesimo, with observations of the …

18 May 2017: The May 2017 issue of the ESA/Hubble Science Newsletter is now available, bringing information and interviews about the successful travelling exhibition Our Place in Space and an overview of the press releases produced by ESA/Hubble in 2016. Further topics include the latest improvements on the European Hubble archive eHST and a look back on the latest Science with the Hubble Space Telescope conference, which took place in Venice earlier this year. The ESA/Hubble Science Newsletter promotes technical and operational news for the Hubble Space Telescope to European users and the scientific community. It is also intended to create a communication channel between the European Hubble user community, and the staff scientists at ESA who support Hubble science operations. You can subscribe to the ESA/Hubble Science Newsletter here, or get in touch at hubblenewseurope@stsci.edu. If you are a media representative we recommend subscribing to the ESA/Hubble Media Newsletter, a weekly embargoed …

27 April 2017: After a successful few weeks in Venice, Italy, with more than 29 000 visitors, the Hubble travelling exhibition Our Place in Space is now moving on to the city of Chiavenna. Chiavenna is a medieval town in northern Italy, which will host the exhibition from 13 May 2017 until 20 August 2017 at the Convento dei Cappuccini, Piazza Bertacchi. The exhibition will be open 6 days a week, from Tuesday to Sunday. The opening hours are 10:30 to 12:30 in the morning and 15:00 to 18:00 in the afternoon. Entrance to the exhibition is free. As in Venice, the exhibition will show stunning images captured with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope and display the work of contemporary Italian artists inspired by these images. Together they take the visitors on a breathtaking visual journey, through our Solar System and out to the edge of the known Universe. By seamlessly integrating perspectives …

20 April 2017: Throughout its 27-year history, Hubble has seen enough of the Universe to fill 100 episodes of the Hubblecast — 10 hours worth! These episodes have captured the science, culture, trials, and successes of Hubble, ranging from its spectacular images to its cutting-edge discoveries to its impact on society. This special 100th Hubblecast reflects on the past 99 episodes, and includes the smartest, funniest, weirdest and most creative moments. You can subscribe to the Hubblecasts in iTunes, receive future episodes on YouTube or follow us on Vimeo. Many other Hubblecast episodes are also available. Find out how to view and contribute subtitles for the Hubblecast in multiple languages, or translate this video on dotSUB. Credits: Directed by: Mathias JägerVisual design and editing: Martin KornmesserWritten by: Georgia Bladon, Mathias JägerNarration: Jochen LiskePresented: Dr J (Jochen Liske)Images: NASA, ESA/HubbleVideos: NASA, ESA/HubbleAnimations: NASA, ESA/Hubble, M. KornmesserMusic: Johan B. Monell (www.johanmonell.com)Web and technical support: Mathias …

22 March 2017: To many, Hubble is best known for its stunning images of celestial objects, but among astronomers it is admired for the valuable data it delivers. Hubble has helped revolutionise astronomy, including shedding light on dark matter and dark energy, lifting the veil on black holes, and peering into the dusty regions around stars to image exoplanets. This new Hubblecast is the second part of an exploration of some of Hubble’s most important discoveries throughout its history. You can subscribe to the Hubblecasts in iTunes, receive future episodes on YouTube or follow us on Vimeo. Many other Hubblecast episodes are also available. Find out how to view and contribute subtitles for the Hubblecast in multiple languages, or translate this video on dotSUB. Credits: Directed by: Mathias JägerVisual design and editing: Martin KornmesserWritten by: Lauren Fuge, Tom Barratt, Mathias JägerNarration: Sara Mendes da CostaImages: NASA, ESA/Hubble, M. Kornmesser, HST Frontier Fields team …

23 February 2017: Since its launch in 1990, Hubble has revolutionised our knowledge of astronomy. From imaging the most stunning phenomena in the cosmos, to the study of the invisible parts of the Universe, to observing the most distant objects ever seen. Hubble’s sharp eye has been at the forefront of astronomical exploration. This new Hubblecast is the first part of an exploration of some of Hubble’s most important discoveries in its almost 27-year history. You can subscribe to the Hubblecasts in iTunes, receive future episodes on YouTube or follow us on Vimeo. Many other Hubblecast episodes are also available. Find out how to view and contribute subtitles for the Hubblecast in multiple languages, or translate this video on dotSUB. Credits: Directed by: Mathias JägerVisual design and editing: Martin KornmesserWritten by: Tom Barratt, Lauren Fuge, Mathias JägerNarration: Sara Mendes da CostaImages: NASA, ESA/Hubble, M. Kornmesser, HST Frontier Fields team (STScI), HUDF09 Team, HUDF …

22 February 2017: Astronomers using telescopes in space and on the ground have found a total of seven Earth-sized, potentially habitable exoplanets orbiting the ultracool dwarf star TRAPPIST-1, 40 light-years away. This makes TRAPPIST-1 the solar system with the largest number of Earth-sized planets so far discovered. The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has also scrutinised this interesting planet system. Following up on the discovery, Hubble is screening the six innermost planets looking for evidence for atmospheres. These observations, in the infrared and performed with the Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3), will provide further information about the nature of the planets. The analysis of the data and the publication process are currently in progress. In addition, Hubble’s Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) already observed the two innermost planets in the ultraviolet to determine the amount of irradiation they receive from their parent star. However, the first results gathered with STIS, published in a new …

7 February 2017: The grand opening of the stunning new Hubble travelling exhibition Our Place in Space was a great success. Held on Saturday 4 February in Venice, Italy, it brought scientists, artists, and journalists together to experience the beauty and wonder of not only images taken by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope but also sculptures, paintings and installations inspired by the ground-breaking telescope. In the morning, journalists were taken on a guided tour of the exhibition and given the chance to speak with its curators, ESA/Hubble project scientist Antonella Nota and Anna Caterina Bellati. In the afternoon were several talks introducing the exhibition. Among the speakers were Martin Kessler (ESA), Kenneth Carpenter (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center), Roger Davies (Professor of Astrophysics at the University of Oxford), Rebecca Alban Hoffberger (founder, director and principal curator of the American Visionary Art Museum), and Matt Mountain (AURA). Our Place in Space is sponsored and …

20 January 2017: On 4 February 2017 at 11:00 CET, ESA/Hubble invites national Italian and international media representatives to the formal opening of the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope travelling exhibition Our Place in Space. The exhibition is hosted in the Instituto Veneto di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti, Palazzo Cavalli Franchetti, on the banks of the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy. The exhibition presents a breathtaking journey through our Solar System and out to the edge of the known Universe, alongside Hubble-inspired works by contemporary Italian artists. Registered journalists will not only have a chance to visit the exhibition but also to talk with ESA/Hubble project scientist Antonella Nota and the curator of the exhibition, Anna Caterina Bellati. To participate in the opening, bona fide members of the media must first register by completing this online form by 3 February 2017. Please indicate “Our Place in Space” for the first question.

19 December 2016: The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) Great Websites for Kids (GWS) has selected Space Scoop as one of the ten best websites for young children up to 14 years of age. ALSC is a division of the American Library Association (ALA) and the selection of the Great Websites for Kids by the GWS committee takes place three times a year. Hubble is one of the partner research institutes that provide content for Space Scoop, alongside ESO, ESA, NASA Chandra, the Las Cumbres Observatory and others. The Space Scoop website was launched one year ago as part of the European Commission-funded EU Universe Awareness and EU Space Awareness projects. Every week it brings the latest astronomy news in a form suitable for children and their teachers, to educate and to inspire. Space Scoops are published in digital and print form, as well as via a mobile app, podcasts and …

15 December 2016: Since astronomers discovered that the stars in the sky are other suns, humanity has wondered if they are also orbited by planets and if those planets host alien life. Since the discovery of the first exoplanet only 25 years ago Hubble is among the many instruments trying to answer these questions. This new Hubblecast tells the story of what we know so far and what we can hope for in the future. You can subscribe to the Hubblecasts in iTunes, receive future episodes on YouTube or follow us on Vimeo. Many other Hubblecast episodes are also available. Find out how to view and contribute subtitles for the Hubblecast in multiple languages, or translate this video on dotSUB. Credits: Directed by: Mathias Jäger Visual design and editing: Martin Kornmesser Written by: Calum Turner, Eleanor Spring, Mathias Jäger Narration: Sara Mendes da Costa Images: NASA, ESA/Hubble, M. Kornmesser, H. Schweiker/WIYN and NOAO/AURA/NSF, …

15 December 2016: The 21st issue of the Communicating Astronomy with the Public journal is out now! In this issue our contributors outline a summer programme in astronomy for high-school students; evaluate a massive open online class in astronomy; provide essential tips on how to write a successful press release; and describe astronomy communication at its most informal — a growing programme of astronomy events held in bars. All of this, and more, is featured in this free, peer-reviewed journal for astronomy communicators — now available for download.

13 October 2016: Since Edwin Hubble discovered that the Milky Way is not the only galaxy in the Universe astronomers try to find out how many of them are there. This new Hubblecast focusses on the question “How many galaxies are there?” including the new numbers achieved in 2016. You can subscribe to the Hubblecasts in iTunes, receive future episodes on YouTube or follow us on Vimeo. Many other Hubblecast episodes are also available. Find out how to view and contribute subtitles for the Hubblecast in multiple languages, or translate this video on dotSUB. Credits: Directed by: Mathias JägerVisual design and editing: Martin KornmesserWritten by: Mathias Jäger, Eleanor Spring, Thomas BarrattNarration: Sara Mendes da CostaImages: NASA, ESA/Hubble, M. KornmesserVideos: NASA, ESA/HubbleAnimations: NASA, ESA/Hubble, M. Kornmesser, L. CalçadaMusic: Johan B. Monell (www.johanmonell.com)Web and technical support: Mathias Andre and Raquel Yumi ShidaExecutive producer: Lars Lindberg Christensen

12 October 2016: The October issue of the ESA/Hubble Science Newsletter is now available, bringing the latest news on the upcoming conference “Science With the Hubble and James Webb Space Telescopes V”, as well as the highlights from the time allocation committee meeting for cycle 24. David Sing from the University of Exeter UK, is also presenting an article on Hubble’s panchromatic exoplanet legacy. The ESA/Hubble Science Newsletter provides technical and operational news about the Hubble Space Telescope to European users and the scientific community. It is also intended to create a communication channel between the European Hubble user community, and the staff scientists at ESA who support Hubble science operations. You can subscribe to the ESA/Hubble Science Newsletter here, or get in touch at hubblenewseurope@stsci.edu. If you are a media representative we recommend subscribing to the ESA/Hubble Media Newsletter, a weekly embargoed newsletter sent 48 hours prior to the publication of press …

4 October 2016: The astronomical images taken by Hubble are amongst the best known in the world. Behind these iconic observations stands a sophisticated instrument, based upon world-changing technology. Many of the technologies used and developed for Hubble and other telescopes have found their way into other fields and professions, as well as our everyday lives. This new Hubblecast shows how many of the technologies surrounding us owe their origins, or development, to fundamental astrophysics and innovation in astronomy. You can subscribe to the Hubblecasts in iTunes, receive future episodes on YouTube or follow us on Vimeo. Many other Hubblecast episodes are also available. Find out how to view and contribute subtitles for the Hubblecast in multiple languages, or translate this video on dotSUB. Credits Directed by: Mathias Jäger Visual design and editing: Martin Kornmesser Written by: Eleanor Spring, Mathias Jäger Narration: Sara Mendes da Costa Images: NASA, ESA/Hubble, M. Kornmesser, Digitized Sky …

18 August 2016: In April 2016 the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope celebrated its 26th year in orbit. More than a quarter of a century of intriguing observations and remarkable discoveries. But what is there left for Hubble, and the forthcoming James Webb Space Telescope, to do? In this second episode on the future of Hubble scientists and the director of the Space Telescope Science Institute share with us their view on Hubble’s shining future. You can subscribe to the Hubblecasts in iTunes, receive future episodes on YouTube or follow us on Vimeo. Many other Hubblecast episodes are also available. Find out how to view and contribute subtitles for the Hubblecast in multiple languages, or translate this video on dotSUB. Credits Directed by: Mathias Jäger Visual design and editing: Martin Kornmesser Written by: Mathias Jäger, Georgia Bladon Narration: Sara Mendes da Costa Images: NASA, ESA/Hubble, Veronica Amici, Sofia di Tona, Noemi da Pare, Letizia …

5 August 2016: The 20th issue of the Communicating Astronomy with the Public journal is out now! In this issue astronomy communication practitioners share with us new sonification software designed to bring the Universe to the visually impaired; they reflect on the impact of social-media-driven competitions; they discuss projects that engage with the people behind the science and counter traditional views of science; and they explain and explore licensing of astronomy assets. All of this, and more, is featured in this free, peer-reviewed journal for astronomy communicators — now available for download.

26 July 2016: For more than two decades the science and images from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope — a successful collaboration between NASA and the European Space Agency — have helped us to see further, shifted our perspective and inspired astronomers, artists and public alike to ask, and endeavour to answer, the deep existential questions that we all share: Where do we came from? Where are we going? Are we alone? These are questions that are of great interest to professional astronomers, but also have deep meaning for everybody on Earth. Based on an idea of Antonella Nota and Anna Caterina Bellati, the new, upcoming travelling exhibition Our Place in Space raises exactly this question: Where does humanity fit into the grand scheme of the Universe? In the exhibition, astronomers and artists present their own interpretations of where we are, where we belong, what our past might have been and what our …

6 July 2016: The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope is one of the most sophisticated telescopes in the world. But even Hubble cannot uncover all the secrets of the Universe on its own. This new Hubblecast focuses on discoveries made by astronomers using Hubble and other telescopes, in space and on the ground, in an effort of genuine scientific teamwork. You can subscribe to the Hubblecasts in iTunes, receive future episodes on YouTube or follow us on Vimeo. Many other Hubblecast episodes are also available. Find out how to view and contribute subtitles for the Hubblecast in multiple languages, or translate this video on dotSUB. Credits: Directed by: Mathias Jäger Visual design and editing: Martin Kornmesser Written by: Valentina Schettini, Mathias Jäger Narration: Sara Mendes da Costa Images: NASA, ESA/Hubble, ESA, ESA/AOES Medialab, Lavochkin Association, HESS Collaboration, Salt Foundation, Rick Peterson/WMKO, Gemini Observatory/AURA, CARMA team, NRAO/AUI, W. M. Keck Observatory Videos: NASA, ESA/Hubble Animations: …

9 June 2016: The June 2016 issue of the ESA/Hubble Science Newsletter is now available. This issue features announcements on the upcoming conference, Science with the Hubble and James Webb Space Telescopes V, in Venice, Italy, as well as information about the Hubble travelling exhibition, Our Place in Space, which will launch in February 2017 in Venice as well. Other articles feature the new ESASky web application and information on how to advertise your Hubble results. The ESA/Hubble Science Newsletter promotes technical and operational news for the Hubble Space Telescope to European users and the scientific community. It is also intended to create a communication channel between the European Hubble user community, and the staff scientists at ESA who support Hubble science operations. You can subscribe to the ESA/Hubble Science Newsletter here, or get in touch at hubblenewseurope@stsci.edu. If you are a media representative we recommend subscribing to the ESA/Hubble Media Newsletter, a …