![The Hubble Space Telescope, as designed during his last and final service mission.](https://i0.wp.com/specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/572fc2514bbe6f123f286868/960x0.jpg?w=560&ssl=1)
Launched in 1990 and celebrating 30 years in 2020, the Hubble Space Telescope follows … [+]
NASA
Year after year, Hubble’s telescopic views are unparalleled.
![Saturn, its rings, and 5 of its branches are designed by Hubble, near the front, in 2020.](https://i0.wp.com/specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/5fe8fb16e7f0388e68439e62/960x0.jpg?w=560&ssl=1)
Saturn, its rings, and 5 of its branches are designed by Hubble, close to his counterpart, in 2020. Saturn’s … [+]
NASA, ESA, A. Simon (Goddard Space Flight Center), MH Wong (University of California, Berkeley), and the OPAL Team
RESEARCH
From the Solar System to distant galaxies, it reveals the Universe metaphorically.
![The huge galaxy collection, MACS J1206, is published by Hubble in this image.](https://i0.wp.com/specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/5fe8fba42c7b58468cd5d2cc/960x0.jpg?w=560&ssl=1)
The huge galaxy collection, MACS J1206, is published by Hubble in this image. The 2020 study was identified … [+]
NASA, ESA, P. Natarajan (Yale University), G. Caminha (University of Groningen), M. Meneghetti (INAF-Observatory of Astrophysics and Space Science of Bologna), and the CLASH-VLT / Zooming teams; Acknowledgments: NASA, ESA, M. Postman (STScI), and CLASH team
2020 marked Hubble’s 30th anniversary in space.
![Hubble’s ideas about the cosmos have reshaped our understanding of the Universe for 30 years.](https://i0.wp.com/specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/5fe8fcf73ea386bcae2f2ce4/960x0.jpg?w=560&ssl=1)
From solar system objects to stars, nebulae, galaxies, and cosmic structures, Hubble’s views on the … [+]
NASA / Hubble / STScI Mosaic
Here are the top ten most important Hubble pictures by 2020.
![Active galaxy IC 5063 has a special shade, living 156 million light-years from Earth.](https://i0.wp.com/specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/5fe8fdcc583de022422f2ce4/960x0.jpg?w=560&ssl=1)
Active galaxy IC 5063 has a special shade, living 156 million light-years from Earth. A middle … [+]
NASA, ESA, and WP Maksym (CfA)
10.) Black hole dusty shade. A dust ring around the black hole of the center of the galaxy IC 5063 creates this cosmic silhouette.
![GAL-CLUS-022058s is one of the largest and most complete Einstein rings ever discovered.](https://i0.wp.com/specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/5fe8fe3d591966afc92f2ce0/960x0.jpg?w=560&ssl=1)
GAL-CLUS-022058s is one of the largest and most complete Einstein rings ever discovered. Seo … [+]
ESA / Hubble & NASA, S. Jha; Acknowledgments: L. Shatz
RESEARCH
9.) Relative rings. In Einstein’s theory, large objects behave like a lens, beautifully moving away distant objects.
![A cloud of gas falls apart, forming new stars, while radiation works to evaporate it.](https://i0.wp.com/specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/5fe8feebacffc2d52e828e6c/960x0.jpg?w=560&ssl=1)
A cloud of gas falls apart, forming new stars, while radiation works to evaporate it. An evaporative … [+]
ESA / Hubble & NASA, R. Sahai
8.) frEGGS. The free-floating evaporative gaseous globules give birth to new inner stars.
RESEARCH
![The UGC 2885 is the largest spiral galaxy ever discovered: 800,000 light-years in diameter.](https://i0.wp.com/specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/5fe8ff94422736b44319d96d/960x0.jpg?w=560&ssl=1)
This galaxy, UGC 2885, also known as the Rubin galaxy, is the largest spinning galaxy ever discovered at … [+]
NASA, ESA, AND B. HOLWERDA (LOUISVILLE UNIVERSITY)
7.) Grand spiral galaxy UGC 2885. With ten times as many Milky Way stars, it really is a galaxy of unusual size.
![Comet ATLAS breaks down, and Hubble reveals ~ 30 individual fragments of its nucleus.](https://i0.wp.com/specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/5fe900a64b30c021c8828e6c/960x0.jpg?w=560&ssl=1)
This pair of Hubble Space Telescope images of comet C / 2019 Y4 (ATLAS), taken on April 20 and April … [+]
NASA, ESA, STScI, and D. Jewitt (UCLA)
RESEARCH
6.) Comet ATLAS separates. Hubble identified 30 individual fragments of this silver nucleus breaking apart.
![NGC 6302, the Butterfly Nebula, is viewed in several light waves.](https://i0.wp.com/specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/5fe900dfc5e1e6657b9c383e/960x0.jpg?w=560&ssl=1)
NGC 6302, the Butterfly Nebula, is viewed in several light waves. Hubble Comments … [+]
NASA, ESA, and J. Kastner (RIT)
5.) Nebula of the butterfly. New comments on NGC 6302 feature a “S-loop,” clearly detecting a recent, iron-filled gas explosion.
RESEARCH
![Jupiter’s real red spot shines brilliantly in his Hubble 2020 image, with Europa nearby.](https://i0.wp.com/specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/5fe901613d76402439dd17cf/960x0.jpg?w=560&ssl=1)
Jupiter’s real red spot shines brilliantly in his 2020 picture with Hubble, with Europa nearby. The … [+]
NASA, ESA, STScI, A. Simon (Goddard Space Flight Center), and MH Wong (University of California, Berkeley) and the OPAL team
4.) Troublesome Jupiter. A smaller, color-changing space will join the Great Red Spot this year.
![What appears as a ribbon is a small piece of a Cygnus supernova explosive wave.](https://i0.wp.com/specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/5fe90219bab23ca993dd17cf/960x0.jpg?w=560&ssl=1)
What appears as a ribbon is a small piece of a Cygnus supernova explosive wave. An supernova … [+]
ESA / Hubble & NASA, W. Blair; Acknowledgments: Leo Shatz
RESEARCH
3.) Ribbon fringe. This gaseous wind wave is a remnant of Cygnus supernova in history, 2400 light-years away.
![Starlink satellite takes pictures of the Hubble Space Telescope.](https://i0.wp.com/specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/5fe902e7bab23ca993dd17d1/960x0.jpg?w=560&ssl=1)
While monitoring targets in the Kuiper belt on November 2, 2020, the Starlink satellite passed … [+]
NASA / Hubble / Simon Porter
2.) Starlink photobombs Hubble. SpaceX satellite megaconstellation hides not only ground-based ideas, but also Hubble as well.
RESEARCH
![In a large star-forming area there are rich, gaseous structures illuminated by the light of the stars.](https://i0.wp.com/specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/5fe903c1da99c2a5ad9c383c/960x0.jpg?w=560&ssl=1)
In a large star-forming area there are rich, gaseous structures illuminated by the light of the stars. The red giant … [+]
NASA, ESA and STScI
1.) The cosmic reef. The formation of copious stars forms the distinctive red nebula, with one glorious star forming the blue one.
![This blue nebula was formed by a single star, about 200,000 times the brightness of the sun.](https://i0.wp.com/specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/5fe9045facffc2d52e828e6e/960x0.jpg?w=560&ssl=1)
Like many of Hubble’s images, this one is available in ultra-high resolution. The blue nebula, … [+]
NASA, ESA and STScI
RESEARCH
Mostly Mute Monday tells a celestial story in images, images, and no more than 200 words. Talk less; laugh more.