Part 10/15:
Hubble has revolutionized cosmology, helping to determine the universe’s age (~13.8 billion years), revealing the presence of dark energy and dark matter, and observing galaxies, quasars, and supermassive black holes. It provided visual evidence for phenomena like the expansion of the universe and the evolution of galaxies, helping to corroborate the Big Bang model.
However, Hubble’s capabilities are constrained by its size—its 2.4-meter primary mirror limits the amount of light it can collect—and by its position in low Earth orbit, where Earth's atmosphere still affects infrared observations. To peer deeper into the universe's farthest and earliest light, a new generation of telescopes needed to be deployed farther away and with enhanced technology.