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M100 WFPC1, WFPC2, WFC3

A collage titled “M100, Hubble Space Telescope” showing three images of the bright central core of the spiral galaxy. Each image is taken by a camera of a different generation.

Hubble's Improving Vision Since the First Servicing Mission 25 Years Ago

The celebration of the 25th anniversary of NASA's first astronaut mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope in orbit marks a pivotal moment for the telescope and for astronomy. The mission restored the scientific power of the telescope and enabled remarkable discoveries which will continue into the future.

These three images are of the central region of the magnificent spiral galaxy M100, taken with three generations of cameras that were sequentially swapped out aboard the telescope, and document the consistently improving capability of the observatory.

The image on the left was taken with the Wide Field/Planetary Camera 1 in 1993. The photo is blurry due to a manufacturing flaw (called spherical aberration) in Hubble's primary mirror. Celestial images could not be brought into a single focus.

The middle image was taken in late 1993 with Wide Field/Planetary Camera 2 that was installed during the December 2 – 13 space shuttle servicing mission (SM1, STS-61). The camera contained corrective optics to compensate for the mirror flaw, and so the galaxy snapped into sharp focus when photographed.

The image on the right was taken with a newer instrument, Wide Field Camera 3, that was installed on Hubble during the space shuttle servicing mission 4 in May 2009.

In celebration of the 25th anniversary of NASA's first space servicing mission to Hubble, these comparison photos of one of the telescope's first targets are being released today.

  • Release Date
    December 4, 2018
  • Science Release
    Celebratory Galaxy Photo Honors 25th Anniversary of NASA’s First Hubble Servicing Mission
    Read the release
  • Credits
    NASA, ESA, STScI, and Judy Schmidt

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Related Images & Videos

A side-by-side comparison of spiral galaxy M100 as seen by the Hubble Space Telescope.

Spiral Galaxy M100

In celebration of the 25th anniversary of NASA's first astronaut mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope in orbit, a comparison photo is being released today showing one of Hubble's first targets after its 1993 optical repair. [RIGHT] - This photogenic celestial object,...

Image titled “M100, HST WFC3/UVIS” with compass arrows, scale bar, and color key.

Compass Image for M100

A close-up of spiral galaxy M100 that fills most of the frame. The galaxy is blurry, but general details are visible.

M100 WFPC1

This is an image of spiral galaxy M100 taken in 1993 with Hubble's Wide Field/Planetary Camera 1, which was part of an original suite of instruments launched aboard Hubble in 1990. Because of a manufacturing flaw in the primary mirror, which created an optical effect called...

A galaxy with blue spiral arms.

M100 WFC3

This photogenic celestial object, the magnificent spiral galaxy M100, is seen here as observed with Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3. Hubble's newest camera, it was installed during the last space shuttle servicing mission to Hubble in May 2009, and the M100 photo was taken a few...

Image by the Hubble Space Telescope’s Wide Field/Planetary Camera 1 showing the bright central core of spiral galaxy M100. The overall image is blurry and bright.

M100 core WFPC1

This image of spiral galaxy M100 was taken with the Hubble Space Telescope's Wide Field/Planetary Camera 1 in 1993. The photo is blurry due to a manufacturing flaw in Hubble's primary mirror, which created an optical effect called spherical aberration. Celestial images could not...

Image by the Hubble Space Telescope’s Wide Field/Planetary Camera 2 showing the bright central core of spiral galaxy M100. The overall image is slightly grainy.

M100 core WFPC2

Spiral galaxy M100 was re-photographed with the Hubble Space Telescope's Wide Field/Planetary Camera 2, which was installed during the December 1993 space shuttle servicing mission (SM1, STS-61). The replacement camera contained corrective optics to compensate for the space...

Image by the Hubble Space Telescope’s Wide Field Camera 3 showing the bright central core of spiral galaxy M100.

M100 core WFC3

This image of spiral galaxy M100 was taken with the Wide Field Camera 3, a new instrument that was installed on the Hubble Space Telescope by astronauts during the space shuttle servicing mission 4 in May 2009.

Galaxy M100 Comparison of Hubble WFPC1 to WFC3

Galaxy M100 Comparison of Hubble WFPC1 to WFC3

To commemorate the 25th anniversary of NASA's first astronaut mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope, this video compares the blurry, pre-servicing image taken with Hubble's Wide Field/Planetary Camera 1 in 1993, to an image taken in 2009 with Hubble's newer, Wide Field...

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Last Updated
Mar 06, 2025
Contact
Media

Claire Andreoli
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland
claire.andreoli@nasa.gov

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