May/June 1999

by Keith Noll

My non-astronomer friends and relatives take pride in the fact that my work is connected to Hubble Space Telescope. After all, Hubble has come to symbolize America's technological prowess in a way once reserved for rocket scientists and Moon walkers. But exactly what I do is something of a mystery to folks.

Supernova 1987A

Even so, I was not surprised or confused in December 1995 when I was asked if I "...had anything to do with that image." Ordinarily, this would not be enough information for me to go on. But in this case I didn't need to ask "what image?" I knew right away. The Eagle Nebula image, released the month before, had made its way onto Dan Rather's desk and the covers of countless newspapers and magazines. I had worked on the team of scientists that maintained the camera used to make the image, but that was a tenuous connection and I had to shake my head no. I hadn't worked on that image. I started to explain the pillars and the evidence for starbirth in the nebula, but I could sense the disappointment. I'm sure my relatives were wondering again whether I really ever did an honest day's work.

I found myself pondering the incident. What was the significance of instantly knowing what "that image" was? Few, if any, of the many other Hubble images released week after week compare with the looming dark clouds silhouetted against a glowing background of wispy gas. The image captured the fancy of so many people that it didn't need an explanation. The image inspired a sense of awe even in those uninterested in the mysteries of stellar evolution.

How many other images with as much impact would Hubble produce in its lifetime? I looked at Hubble's greatest hits: nebulae, spiral galaxies, planets, star clusters, gaseous nebulae. After five years in orbit, Hubble had produced far fewer than could be expected.

There's a reason for this. Time on Hubble is a precious commodity. Each year astronomers propose many times more projects for Hubble than there is time to complete them. To fit in as many projects as possible, objects often are imaged in just one or two filters, too few to make striking three-color images like the Eagle.

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