Edwin Hubble
Edwin Hubble is widely renowned as one of the most influential astronomers and scientists in history. He is known for his groundbreaking discoveries in the field of astronomy, and is credited with revolutionizing the very concept of our universe and its mysteries. Hubble’s research led to the development of the now-infamous Hubble Series and the discovery of the expanding universe. In addition, he is acknowledged by historians as the scientist who classified galaxies and furthered our knowledge of their physical nature, morphology, and movements.
Early Life and Education
Edwin Hubble was born on November the 20th 1889 in Marshfield, Missouri. As a child he showed a strong aptitude for learning and was quickly recognized for his exceptional intellectual abilities. After completing primary school, Hubble moved on to graduate from the University of Chicago’s Yerkes Observatory at the age of 20. In 1913, he earned his Master’s Degree in Astronomy from the same institute. Later on, in 1917, Hubble was awarded a Ph.D. for his study of “Relative Motion of Extra-Galactic Nebulae”.
Military Career
The onset of World War I vastly complicated Hubble’s pursuit of a scientific career. It was during this time that he volunteered for a commission in the United States Army’s Infantry. After some months of basic training, Hubble was then transferred to a role as an artillery captain where he served until 1919. During his military service, he was awarded several honorifics including a Distinguished Service Medal and the Silver Star.
Top 6 Edwina Hubble Accomplishments
Once Hubble completed his military commitment, he returned to the Observatory. Here he worked towards becoming one of the most prominent figures in astronomy. Here are the top 6 of Hubble’s scientific accomplishments:
- Findings regarding Red Shift
In 1924, Hubble was successful in finding the relationship between a redshift in the light spectra of distant galaxies and their distance from Earth. This would prove the existence of an expanding universe and the fact that our universe has a finite age.
- Theory on the Milky Way
In 1929, he proposed the highly-disputed theory known as the “Island Universe”, which states that our Milky Way is not the only galaxy in the universe.
- Hubble’s Law
Hubble’s Law was published in 1929, which combined the finding of the Red Shift and the “Island Universe” theory, allowing him to have a much greater understanding of the universe. This law shows the relation between the velocity at which stars move away from us and their distance from Earth, allowing us to understand the size and age of the universe.
- Galaxy Classification
In 1936, Hubble successfully introduced an elaborate classification for galaxies, ordering them according to their size, shape, texture and other features. Hubble also devised a special spectrum of galaxies which is now known as the Hubble sequence.
- Hubble Diagrams
In the 1940s, Hubble published numerous diagrams that showed how red-shifts in matter which were moving away from Earth increase in proportion with the distance between them and ourselves.
- Asteroid 1943 Hubble
In 1943, asteroid 1943 Hubble was discovered by astronomer Reinmuth in honor of the famous astronomer. This asteroid is 5.9km in diameter and it orbits between Martian and Jupiter.
Later Career and Contributions
After the introduction of Hubble’s classification and expanding universe theories, Hubble spent the rest of his career in the Observatory teaching and collaborating with other scientists. He was also renowned for his creative approach to theoretical problems and relationship with colleagues in other scientific fields, such as mathematics and physics.
Throughout his tenure at the Observatory, Hubble provided key scientific contributions and authored numerous papers, books, and articles which are still influential to this day. His most enduring works are perhaps his highly accurate and detailed maps of the electromagnetic spectra of galaxies.
Death and Legacy
Edwin Hubble passed away from a cerebral thrombosis on September 28, 1953 in San Marino, CA. He was 64 years of age at the time of his death, and is remembered and honored by the scientific community as a champion of new astronomical discoveries.
Today, Hubble’s memory lives on though the famous Hubble Telescope, which was named in his honor. The telescope has allowed us to explore the furthest galaxies and furthered our understanding of space and the universe, just as Hubble had done before us.
It is no exaggeration to suggest that Edwin Hubble’s discoveries revolutionized the field of astronomy, and even the way we perceive our universe and its origins. Thanks to his contributions to science, we can look up into the night sky and imagine all the galaxies, star systems, and entities in the distant corners of the universe. We also owe him for providing us valuable insight into the history, size and age of our ever-expanding universe. His legacy as an astronomer and scientist will continue to remain an inspiration for generations to come.
