What NASA instrument allows scientists to study high resolution images of deep space objects?

• A. Spitzer Space Telescope
• B. Chandra X-ray Observatory
• C. Hubble Space Telescope
• D. Kepler Space Telescope

Answer: (C)

High-resolution imaging of distant objects comes from both a large, precise mirror and being above Earth's atmosphere, which normally blurs images. The Hubble Space Telescope does exactly that: it orbits high enough to avoid atmospheric distortion and carries advanced cameras that capture sharp, detailed pictures in visible light as well as ultraviolet and near-infrared. This combination lets scientists see fine structures in galaxies, nebulae, and other deep-space objects that are hard to resolve from the ground.

Spitzer focuses on infrared light to study dust and cooler objects, but its longer wavelengths and design yield lower angular resolution in the visible range. Chandra is tuned to X-ray light, revealing high-energy processes rather than producing the highest-resolution deep-space images in the visible spectrum. Kepler was built to detect exoplanets by watching for tiny dips in starlight, not to image distant objects in detail. Thus, for high-resolution deep-space imaging, the Hubble Space Telescope is the best fit.