Hubble Space Telescope
... One question that has fascinated humans since the beginning of time is: Is there life out in space, another planet that possesses forests and lakes, dogs and cats, sentient beings that have the ability to reason as we do? ... One such device was the telescope. ... Galileo was the first well-known astronomer to use a telescope to survey the heavens. ... The refractor telescope is still a very popular instrument with modern astronomers. ... Another early version of telescope was the reflecting telescope, developed by Sir Isaac Newton. This type of telescope relied on the use of mirrors to reflect the light by use of a parabolic mirror. ... Another major obstacle that has hindered the study of space by earth bound telescopes has been the atmosphere and disagreeable weather patterns that have plagued astronomers for centuries. When it was cloudy, the conventional telescope would not be as effective.