Hubble Legacy

Jim Bell Sterling £25  HB

In Hubble Legacy,

Jim Bell takes a celebratory tour of the many important contributions the Hubble Space Telescope has made to our understanding of the Universe.

Both the foreword by astronaut and ‘Hubble repairman’ John M Grunsfeld and the book’s first section give a delightfully vivid account of the telescope’s history, covering its launch, engineering and the five service missions that have kept it operational for 30 years. Those seeking more technical detail may prefer something like Haynes’s NASA Hubble Space Telescope Owners’ Workshop Manual, but it sets you up for the breathtaking anthology of photography that follows. There is something for everyone to delve into, from distant galaxies to globular star clusters. In the nebula category, you’ll find some of Hubble’s most famous and groundbreaking images. The real eye- opener is just how much Hubble has taught us about our own backyard – its first ever images of Pluto’s surface, for example, helped the New Horizons mission team to plan its flyby observations in 2015.

The print quality diminishes the clarity the images deserve – photography enthusiasts will find better Hubble photography books on the market

– but this is perhaps made up for by the comprehensive explanations accompanying each photo.

It concludes with a final look at the future of space observatories, once Hubble is decommissioned this decade. With five new space observatories in various build and concept stages, there is much to look forward to. But as this book demonstrates, they all have a tremendous legacy to live up to. ★★★★ ★

Nisha Beerjeraz-Hoyle is a space and astronomy writer