The Hubble space telescope can be observed with the naked eye in the sky in the Itapetininga region, inside São Paulo, between Wednesday (27) and Friday (29) in May. Lançado by Nasa in 1990 in partnership with Agência Espacial Europeia, the space observatory orbits Terra at approximately 540 km high and travels at around 28 thousand km/h, completing a lap around the planet in approximately 95 minutes.
Segundo Rodrigo Raffa, professor of physics and responsible for Centauri, Clube of Astronomia of Itapetininga, the telescope’s brightness could reach magnitudes similar to the brightest stars in the night sky under favorable conditions. The movement will be relatively fast and constant, crossing the sky from the southwest towards the northeast, and viewing is possible without the use of equipment.
Horários from Hubble pass
The passage of the space telescope will be visible at the following times:
- Quarta Thursday (27), from 7:02 pm to 7:06 pm
- Quinta Thursday (28), from 6:31 pm to 6:37 pm
- Sexta Thursday (29), from 5:59 pm to 6:07 pm
Rodrigo Raffa recommends that observers look for a place with open skies and start observing a few minutes before the scheduled time. The telescope should appear in the southwest region of the sky and head towards the northeast.
Melhor time to watch
The best time to observe Hubble occurs a few minutes after sunset, when the observer is already in the dark, but the telescope still receives solar illumination at altitude. Observation of satellites like Hubble depends on a very specific combination between orbital position, solar illumination and local time, explains the expert.
Para avoid confusion with aircraft, Rodrigo points out characteristics that differentiate the Hubble from an airplane: the object does not flash lights, leaves no visible trails and maintains a constant brightness while appearing to glide silently among the stars. Apesar is in space, it can be observed from Terra without a telescope on some specific occasions because its metallic structure reflects sunlight, visually functioning as a bright point crossing the sky similar to the appearance of a very bright artificial satellite.
Importância scientific telescope
Hubble is responsible for recording images of the universe and important discoveries of cosmic expansion since its launch more than three decades ago. Além of historical scientific importance, the telescope symbolically impacts the observation of the sky, allowing many people to literally see from orbit one of the most important scientific instruments ever built by humanity.
Rodrigo Raffa highlights that the next three days represent a unique opportunity for the region. “It’s going to be three incredible days crossing the region’s skies”, says the physics professor.
Dicas to photograph the passage
Para who wants to record the passage of Hubble in photographs, Rodrigo Raffa offers specific guidance. Recomenda takes a photo with the camera on a tripod in the direction of the passage and within the scheduled time, operating manually with control of ISO, exposure and camera shutter opening. Dessa form, the photograph will be able to record the telescope’s path across the sky as a bright trail.