What instrument allowed Edwin Hubble to resolve individual stars within the Andromeda Nebula (M31)?
Answer
The 100-inch Hooker Telescope at Mount Wilson Observatory
The ability to resolve individual stars in what was then called the Andromeda Nebula (M31) required immense light-gathering power, which the 100-inch Hooker Telescope at the Mount Wilson Observatory provided. This instrument was the most powerful available during the early 20th century when Hubble conducted his pivotal observations starting in 1919. Prior to this, measurements of distant objects were severely limited. By using this massive aperture, Hubble could isolate specific stars, including crucial Cepheid variables, which were necessary for calculating the distance to Andromeda, thereby proving it was an external galaxy far outside the boundaries of the Milky Way.
Related Questions
What instrument allowed Edwin Hubble to resolve individual stars within the Andromeda Nebula (M31)?What specific distance measurement tool, relying on Henrietta Swan Leavitt’s discovery, did Hubble use on Andromeda?What primary visual categories define the Hubble Classification Scheme developed by 1926?In the equation for Hubble’s Law, $v = H_0 d$, what specific quantity does the symbol $H_0$ represent?What initial value for the proportionality factor did Hubble publish in his 1929 compilation of distance and velocity data?What crucial preliminary observation did Vesto Slipher provide that hinted at the nature of distant nebulae?How did Edwin Hubble characterize his own scientific role when discussing the interpretation of expanding universe observations?Which scientist provided the theoretical framework, utilizing General Relativity, that predicted the distance-velocity relationship observed by Hubble?What was the prevailing scientific view regarding the extent of the cosmos before Hubble's 1924 announcement about M31?What is the modern cosmological debate known as the Hubble Tension?