Edwin Hubble was an Astronomer and scientist who changed our entire cosmology and revolutionized the field of astrophysics. Hubble’s research helped to prove the universe is expanding and he also created a classification system for galaxies we now call the Hubble sequence. He has been called one of the most influential astronomers since the times of Galileo, Kepler and Newton.On November 20th, 1889 in Marshfield, Missouri, Edwin Hubble was born to parents John Powell Hubble, an insurance executive, and Virginia Lee Hubble. Hubble was the third of 7 children (space.com). During Hubble’s childhood his family moved to Wheaton, Illinois where he attended high school. There he broke the Illinois state high jump record for track and field. Hubble
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Hubble took pictures of nebulae using two of the worlds largest telescopes, the 60 inch and the 100 inch Hooker reflectors. These pictures helped Hubble to prove some of the Nebulae existed outside of the Milky-Way galaxy. On October 4th, 1923 Hubble discovered a Cepheid Variable star when comparing photos of the Andromeda nebula (later to be named the Andromeda galaxy) taken over previous nights. A Cepheid Variable star can help to determine the distance to the Andromeda nebula from the Milky Way. A Cepheid Variable star is essentially a star that varies in luminosity over a period of time. They pulsate in predictable ways and these pulsations are directly related to its luminosity (brightness).These changes in luminosity can be recorded. Hubble was able to use these changes in luminosity to determine that the star was 900,000 light years away so it had to exist outside of the Milky Way because previous research suggests the Milky Way is about 100,000 light years. It was later discovered that Hubble was comparing a brighter kind of Cepheid variable star with a dimmer kind from our own galaxy so the Andromeda galaxy was actually twice as far away (approx. 2 million light-years). Hubble knew that in previous years astronomer Vesto Slipher measured the Doppler Shift of several galaxies, finding a few that were coming toward the Milky Way and some that …show more content…
He helped us to better understand the galaxy in which we live by proving the existence of other galaxies and helping us to better conceptualize the size and distance of other planets. Hubble is also responsible for creating the Hubble sequence, a classification system for galaxies that is still used today and also the Tuning Fork diagram. Hubble’s research also helped to support other theories like the Big Bang. In addition to the Medal of merit he received during the second World War, Hubble also received the Franklin medal for his work in physics, Legion of Merit, Bruce Medal and Gold Medal from the Royal Astronomical society. Hubble is one of the most famous astronomers to date. In memoriam of his work NASA named the Hubble Space Telescope after Edwin Hubble. Hubble also has an asteroid and a crater on the moon named after him. Since it was launched in 1990,101years after Hubble’s death, the Hubble Space Telescope is still taking amazing photos of galaxies, planets, nebulae, and supernovae. It has provided a wealth of information about the cosmos transmitting thousands of images to scientists back on Earth and allowing them to make more precise calculations of the age of the universe and played a key role in the discovery of dark energy, the force that is causing the universe to expand. Edwin Hubble’s revolutionary research changed the way we saw the universe. His theory that the universe is expanding
Hubble took pictures of nebulae using two of the worlds largest telescopes, the 60 inch and the 100 inch Hooker reflectors. These pictures helped Hubble to prove some of the Nebulae existed outside of the Milky-Way galaxy. On October 4th, 1923 Hubble discovered a Cepheid Variable star when comparing photos of the Andromeda nebula (later to be named the Andromeda galaxy) taken over previous nights. A Cepheid Variable star can help to determine the distance to the Andromeda nebula from the Milky Way. A Cepheid Variable star is essentially a star that varies in luminosity over a period of time. They pulsate in predictable ways and these pulsations are directly related to its luminosity (brightness).These changes in luminosity can be recorded. Hubble was able to use these changes in luminosity to determine that the star was 900,000 light years away so it had to exist outside of the Milky Way because previous research suggests the Milky Way is about 100,000 light years. It was later discovered that Hubble was comparing a brighter kind of Cepheid variable star with a dimmer kind from our own galaxy so the Andromeda galaxy was actually twice as far away (approx. 2 million light-years). Hubble knew that in previous years astronomer Vesto Slipher measured the Doppler Shift of several galaxies, finding a few that were coming toward the Milky Way and some that …show more content…
He helped us to better understand the galaxy in which we live by proving the existence of other galaxies and helping us to better conceptualize the size and distance of other planets. Hubble is also responsible for creating the Hubble sequence, a classification system for galaxies that is still used today and also the Tuning Fork diagram. Hubble’s research also helped to support other theories like the Big Bang. In addition to the Medal of merit he received during the second World War, Hubble also received the Franklin medal for his work in physics, Legion of Merit, Bruce Medal and Gold Medal from the Royal Astronomical society. Hubble is one of the most famous astronomers to date. In memoriam of his work NASA named the Hubble Space Telescope after Edwin Hubble. Hubble also has an asteroid and a crater on the moon named after him. Since it was launched in 1990,101years after Hubble’s death, the Hubble Space Telescope is still taking amazing photos of galaxies, planets, nebulae, and supernovae. It has provided a wealth of information about the cosmos transmitting thousands of images to scientists back on Earth and allowing them to make more precise calculations of the age of the universe and played a key role in the discovery of dark energy, the force that is causing the universe to expand. Edwin Hubble’s revolutionary research changed the way we saw the universe. His theory that the universe is expanding