The Hubble's Universe Quiz

The Discovery of Other Galaxies and the Work of Edwin Hubble

• Immanuel Kant suggested the possibility of nebulae being distant systems of stars in the 18th century, but evidence was lacking due to telescope limitations.
• Edwin Hubble used the 2.5-meter telescope on Mount Wilson to resolve individual stars in nebulae and discovered cepheid variable stars, allowing him to measure their distances.
• Hubble estimated that the Andromeda galaxy was about 900,000 light-years away, indicating it was a separate galaxy outside the Milky Way.
• The Andromeda galaxy, also known as M31, is a large spiral galaxy similar in appearance to our own, located about 2.5 million light-years away.
• Hubble's groundbreaking paper on the distances to nebulae was met with a standing ovation at a meeting of the American Astronomical Society in 1925, marking the birth of extragalactic astronomy.
• Edwin Hubble, born in 1889, initially studied law but was drawn back to astronomy, joining the staff at Mount Wilson in 1919 and working with the world's largest telescope.
• Hubble established the existence of other galaxies, classified them based on shapes, and demonstrated a pattern to their motion, laying the foundation for the understanding of an expanding universe.
• Hubble's work brought him renown, medals, awards, and honorary degrees, and he became the first astronomer to appear on the cover of Time magazine.
• Hubble passed away in 1953, but his legacy continued with the planning and building of the 5-meter telescope on Palomar Mountain, and the naming of the Hubble Space Telescope in his honor.
• The Hubble Space Telescope contributed to the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics for the discovery that the expansion of the universe is accelerating, building on Hubble's foundational work.
• Hubble's work revolutionized the study of galaxies and the understanding of the universe's large-scale structure, leaving a lasting impact on the field of astronomy.
• The discovery of other galaxies and Hubble's contributions to the understanding of the universe mark a significant milestone in the history of astronomy and have paved the way for further exploration and discoveries.

Irregular Galaxies and Galaxy Evolution

• Dwarf elliptical galaxy M32 is one of the companions to the giant Andromeda galaxy M31, only 2400 light-years across
• Irregular galaxies, like the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, have lower masses and luminosities than spiral galaxies
• Large and Small Magellanic Clouds are among our nearest extragalactic neighbors, located a little more than 160,000 light-years away
• The Large Magellanic Cloud contains the 30 Doradus complex, one of the largest and most luminous groups of supergiant stars known in any galaxy
• The Small Magellanic Cloud is considerably less massive than the Large Magellanic Cloud, and its narrow wisp of material points directly toward our Galaxy like an arrow
• The irregular shapes of small galaxies, like the Small Magellanic Cloud, are explained by interactions between galaxies
• Astronomers hoped to find a scheme for galaxy evolution, but no simple scheme stood the test of time, leading to the idea that galaxies formed early in the universe
• Today, it is understood that at least some galaxies have changed types over billions of years, due to collisions, mergers, and changes in star formation rate
• Collisions and mergers between galaxies can change spiral galaxies into elliptical galaxies
• The study of how galaxies evolve over the lifetime of the universe is one of the most active fields of astronomical research
• The evolution of galaxies will be discussed in more detail in The Evolution and Distribution of Galaxies
• Understanding the different types of galaxies is crucial for understanding their evolution and distribution

The Discovery of Other Galaxies and the Work of Edwin Hubble

• Immanuel Kant suggested the possibility of nebulae being distant systems of stars in the 18th century, but evidence was lacking due to telescope limitations.
• Edwin Hubble used the 2.5-meter telescope on Mount Wilson to resolve individual stars in nebulae and discovered cepheid variable stars, allowing him to measure their distances.
• Hubble estimated that the Andromeda galaxy was about 900,000 light-years away, indicating it was a separate galaxy outside the Milky Way.
• The Andromeda galaxy, also known as M31, is a large spiral galaxy similar in appearance to our own, located about 2.5 million light-years away.
• Hubble's groundbreaking paper on the distances to nebulae was met with a standing ovation at a meeting of the American Astronomical Society in 1925, marking the birth of extragalactic astronomy.
• Edwin Hubble, born in 1889, initially studied law but was drawn back to astronomy, joining the staff at Mount Wilson in 1919 and working with the world's largest telescope.
• Hubble established the existence of other galaxies, classified them based on shapes, and demonstrated a pattern to their motion, laying the foundation for the understanding of an expanding universe.
• Hubble's work brought him renown, medals, awards, and honorary degrees, and he became the first astronomer to appear on the cover of Time magazine.
• Hubble passed away in 1953, but his legacy continued with the planning and building of the 5-meter telescope on Palomar Mountain, and the naming of the Hubble Space Telescope in his honor.
• The Hubble Space Telescope contributed to the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics for the discovery that the expansion of the universe is accelerating, building on Hubble's foundational work.
• Hubble's work revolutionized the study of galaxies and the understanding of the universe's large-scale structure, leaving a lasting impact on the field of astronomy.
• The discovery of other galaxies and Hubble's contributions to the understanding of the universe mark a significant milestone in the history of astronomy and have paved the way for further exploration and discoveries.

Irregular Galaxies and Galaxy Evolution

• Dwarf elliptical galaxy M32 is one of the companions to the giant Andromeda galaxy M31, only 2400 light-years across
• Irregular galaxies, like the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, have lower masses and luminosities than spiral galaxies
• Large and Small Magellanic Clouds are among our nearest extragalactic neighbors, located a little more than 160,000 light-years away
• The Large Magellanic Cloud contains the 30 Doradus complex, one of the largest and most luminous groups of supergiant stars known in any galaxy
• The Small Magellanic Cloud is considerably less massive than the Large Magellanic Cloud, and its narrow wisp of material points directly toward our Galaxy like an arrow
• The irregular shapes of small galaxies, like the Small Magellanic Cloud, are explained by interactions between galaxies
• Astronomers hoped to find a scheme for galaxy evolution, but no simple scheme stood the test of time, leading to the idea that galaxies formed early in the universe
• Today, it is understood that at least some galaxies have changed types over billions of years, due to collisions, mergers, and changes in star formation rate
• Collisions and mergers between galaxies can change spiral galaxies into elliptical galaxies
• The study of how galaxies evolve over the lifetime of the universe is one of the most active fields of astronomical research
• The evolution of galaxies will be discussed in more detail in The Evolution and Distribution of Galaxies
• Understanding the different types of galaxies is crucial for understanding their evolution and distribution