What specific type of optical defect characterized the blurry images produced by the flawed mirror?
Answer
Spherical aberration
Spherical aberration occurs when light rays striking different radial locations on the mirror focus at distinct points, preventing a single sharp focal point for the entire image.
#Videos
Why Was The Hubble Space Telescope Initially Blurry? - YouTube
Related Questions
What was the initial problem observed when the first images arrived from Hubble in 1990?What was identified as the root cause of the Hubble Space Telescope's initial optical failure?What specific type of optical defect characterized the blurry images produced by the flawed mirror?By approximately how much was the edge of the primary mirror ground too flat relative to the required shape?Why did ground testing fail to detect the flaw in the primary mirror before launch?What was the required manufacturing tolerance for the mirror's shape, expressed as a standard for accuracy?What was the conceptual approach used to correct the flaw once the telescope was in orbit?What component was specifically designed to hold small corrective mirrors for instruments that could not be replaced during the service mission?Which primary instrument was physically removed and replaced entirely with a new version featuring built-in correction?What precise geometric shape were the small corrective mirrors within COSTAR shaped as?