Hubble Space Telescope completes 200000 orbits while searching for lensed supernova
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope finished its 200,000th orbit around Earth on September 19 while observing a specific target.
Telescope reaches major orbital milestone
The observatory has traveled more than five billion miles during its 36-year operational life. It has recorded over 1.7 million observations since it began service. This latest achievement marks a significant point in the mission's long history.
Astronomers monitor distant star explosion
Scientists are using the instrument to track a supernova named Athena that was found by the James Webb Space Telescope. The massive galaxy cluster MACS J0417 acts as a gravitational lens to bend light from this event. Researchers expect the star's image to reappear between now and early March 2027.
Data helps map foreground mass
Timing when Athena becomes visible again allows teams to calculate the mass of the galaxy cluster. The telescope returns to the same sky regions repeatedly to catch these delayed signals. This process continues to improve understanding of how the universe expands.
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