Spring Break
For decades, Hopkins has coordinated Hubble Space Telescope research
Scientists and students around the world utilize data from the Space Telescope Science Institute's work, organized and run on the Hopkins Homewood campus since the early 1980's
Issue date: 4/30/09
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When NASA issued a proposal in search of a group to run the telescope, Hopkins applied with a not-for-profit group, the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) and jointly won the right to do so. The center, located directly across San Martin Drive from the Homewood Campus, has been in operation ever since.
Over the years, the center has advanced astronomical and astrophysical research for scientists around the world. The STScI at Homewood selects which programs are assigned to the telescope, schedules them and then collects data and releases news of their findings. In recent years, the number of science papers citing data from the Hubble and therefore STScI has increased from about 250 in 1995 to roughly 700 in 2006.
"All the pictures you ever see from the Hubble Space Telescope come out of this building," said Charles Mountain, professor of physics and astronomy and director of STScI.
He said that the institute had also drawn researchers to the University itself and generated growth in related departments, such as physics and astronomy. It currently employs 475 staff members in total. 219 of those are engaged in work on the Hubble.
These research scientists are ranked sixth in the world, as measured by their publication productivity.
33 U.S. universities and seven international affiliates are involved in AURA. In this way, the STScI serves as the "interface between the broad astronomic community and NASA and the telescope," according to Mountain.
"The Hubble Telescope is the most productive telescope in history, and it's actually run out of Homewood," he said.
Mountain and a number of other researchers and scientists involved with the project were appointed jointly by STScI and Hopkins. Annually, STScI gives out $22 million in grants to researchers who have been chosen to run projects through the telescope, and about 7,000 people use the telescope around the world. 17 new Hubble fellowships are granted annually.
STScI also hosts major conferences regarding new research and fields of exploration, including an upcoming event called "The Search for Life in the Universe," which Mountain considers to be the next major field of inquiry for the institute and astronomy.
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