Inkathazo Ye-Hubble—Yaphumelaphi?

Ungase ubuze: ‘Yiphi inkathazo ye-Hubble?’ Sikhuluma ngenkathazo ye-HST (Hubble Space Telescope)—iso eliyinkimbinkimbi elibizayo lama-dollar ayizigidi ezingu-1 600 (amaRandi ayizigidi ezingu-5 800) elibheke indawo yonke ngokungazelele elambula ukuthi laliphazamisekile emuva ngo-1990.

I-HUBBLE Space Telescope “cishe iyisiphuphutheki sesayensi esiyinkimbinkimbi kunazo zonke ezake zakhiwa,” kusho uDkt. R. W. Smith waseJohns Hopkins University, eBaltimore, kuyi-International Encyclopedia of Astronomy.a Encwadini yakhe ethi The Hubble Wars, u-Eric Chaisson uyichaza ngokuthi “isiphuphutheki esikhulu, esiyinkimbinkimbi, nesinamandla kunazo zonke ezake zacitshwa emkhathini.” Uthi futhi kumagazini i-Astronomy: “Imisho eyizigidi ezine yemiyalo ye-computer edingekile ekuyiqondiseni nasekuyilawuleni ngosuku—esinye sezimiso zemiyalo ezinkulu kunazo zonke ezweni—iwubufakazi bezinga eliphakeme lobunkimbinkimbi be-Hubble.” Lesi siphuphutheki sizungeza ekuphakameni okungaba amakhilomitha angu-615 ngaphezu komhlaba futhi ngaleyo ndlela siqhelile emkhathini womhlaba oshintsha ukukhanya.

Ngaphambi kokuba icitshwe, uDkt. Smith wathi “izinga eliphakeme lezithombe zayo . . . liyoqondiswa kuphela imithetho yokukhanya, izinga lezibuko zayo, nokuthi i-HST ingaqondiswa ngokunembile nangokuqonde kangakanani ezintweni okufanele izithwebule.” Ngaleso sikhathi wayengaqapheli ukuthi amazwi akhe ayeyogcina eyiqiniso!

Ukuyicib—Injabulo Nokudumala

Usuku olukhulu lokuyiciba lwafika ngo-April 1990. I-HST yathunyelwa emkhathini ngomkhumbi-mkhathi i-Discovery. Onjiniyela abaqondisa uhambo bajabula ngemiphumela. UJohn Noble Wilford wabika kuyi-New York Times ukuthi ukwaziswa kobunjiniyela “kwabonisa ukuthi lesi sibonakude sasicitshwe ngaphandle kokulimala futhi sasibonakala sikulungele ukuqala ukuthunywa kokuhlola indawo yonke okwakungase kuthathe iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-15.” Wanezela ukuthi “kwakulindeleke ukuba sihlole izinkanyezi nemithala ekude ngokunemba okuphindwe kayishumi kunalokho okwake kwafinyelelwa noma nini ngaphambili.” Isihloko esikhulu kumagazini i-Time ngethemba samemezela “Ifasitela Elisha Endaweni Yonke” sase sinezela: “Njengoba sikwazi ukubona ngokucacile izinkanyezi ezikude kakhulu, isibonakude i-Hubble siyokwazi ukuhlola okwenzeka esikhathini eside esidlule.” Injabulo yachichima njengoba izazi zezinkanyezi nabaklami babelindele ukufika kwezithombe zokuqala emhlabeni. Empeleni kwenzekani?

Kwenzeka njengoba isaga sisho ukuthi ungayibambi isavele ngekhanda. Izithombe zokuqala zaqala ukufika ngo-May 1990. Kunokuba kufike izithombe ezigqamile ezazilindelekile, izazi zezinkanyezi ezikhathazekile zabona ukukhanya okufiphele. U-Eric Chaisson wabhala: “Lezi zithombe zaqinisekisa umbono osabisa ngempela wokuthi lesi siphuphutheki esizungezayo sasinenkinga enkulu yokubona.” Lesi sibonakude sasinephutha elingalindelekile—iphutha elincane kwesinye sezibuko ezimbili ezibuyisa ukukhanya! Leli phutha lalilincane kakhulu kunobubanzi bonwele lomuntu, kodwa lokho kwakwanele ukufiphaza ikhono lokubona. Kwabangela ukudumala okukhulu.

Ubani Owashiyeka?

Yini eyabangela izinkinga ze-Hubble ezibizayo? U-Eric Chaisson, owayesebenza emklamweni we-Hubble, ubala izimbangela eziningi encwadini yakhe ethi The Hubble Wars. Uthi: “Amaphutha asobala ezinsimbi kuyi-Hubble abangelwa isimo sokushiyeka konjiniyela, ukwehluleka okusobala nokucacile ukuqaphela isimo ngombono obanzi. Ngokwesibonelo: imishini yesibonakude eklanywe ngokungafanele futhi yangahlolisiswa onjiniyela abazethemba ngokweqile, abangenakho ukwaziswa okunenjongo kwezobuchwepheshe noma kwezesayensi okuvela emthonjeni ongaziwa . . . [kanye] nokufakwa kwezinto ezase zisetshenzisiwe kuyi-Hubble, njengama-gyroscope agugile [ama-gyro ayehlolwe amahora angaba ngu-70 000 ngaphambi kokuba asetshenziswe kulesi sibonakude—‘ahlolwa aze afa,’ njengoba kwasho omunye unjiniyela] kanye namabhodi agcina ukwaziswa ayeklanyelwe imikhumbi-mkhathi yakudala.”

Lapho isibuko esiyinhloko se-Hubble esingamamitha angu-2,4 sesiphelile, kwakufanele sihlolwe okokugcina. Nokho, ngokwe-New York Times, lamacebo ayekwa ngenxa yobufushane besikhathi nokucabangela umthwalo ongokwezimali. UDkt. Roderic Scott ongasekho, ngaleso sikhathi owayengusosayensi ophethe wenkampani ecwaninga ngemishini yezithombe eyenza lesi sibuko, wacela ukuba kwenziwe okunye ukuhlola. Izixwayiso zakhe zashaywa indiva. Ngakho, i-HST emkhathini ongaphandle yakwazi nje ukudlulisa izithombe ezifiphele.

Umbono kaChaisson wawungukuthi: “Mhlawumbe lomkhumbi-mkhathi nezingxenye eziningi ezihambisana nawo [kuhlanganise nezingxenye ezingaphezu kuka-400 000 nezintambo ezingamakhilomitha angu-42 000] kanye nemisebenzi emikhulu yokuwusekela emhlabeni kuyinkimbinkimbi ngokweqile empucukweni yethu yezobuchwepheshe esafufusa. Lapho izizukulwane zikaNowa zizama ukwakha emzini wasendulo iBabele umbhoshongo owawumude kangangokuthi wawuzofinyelela emazulwini, iNcwadi kaGenesise isitshela ukuthi uNkulunkulu wazijezisa ngenxa yesibindi sazo. Mhlawumbe isibonakude esingeyona inkimbinkimbi kangako—umshini osheshayo, othuthukayo—sasiyohlangabezana nesijeziso esingeqatha kakhulu.” UChaisson waqhubeka ethi: “Umbono osakazekile wokuthi indlela engokwesayensi ayibandlululi futhi inenjongo, wokuthi ososayensi bantula futhi bebelokhu bentula umzwelo wobuntu lapho benza umsebenzi wabo, awunangqondo. Umzamo wesayensi yanamuhla ugcwele izindinganiso njengezinto eziningi ekuphileni.” NgokukaChaisson, isifiso sokuvelela nomhawu kuyizici ebezibangela izinkathazo ze-Hubble.

Amathemba Ashabalala

Ukubukeza ezinye zezihloko ezinkulu zemithombo yezindaba kuchaza izenzakalo eziphawulekayo ezazihambisana nendaba yenkathazo ye-Hubble. Elinye iphephandaba lathi: “Umkhumbi-mkhathi Ukhuphuka Amamayela Angu-381, Uphethe Isibonakude Nethemba.” I-Scientific American yathi: “Ifa Le-Hubble—Isibonakude Sasemkhathini Siqala Inkathi Entsha Kusayensi Yokuhlola Izinkanyezi.” Ngo-July 1990, i-Time kwadingeka ilungise ukucabangela kwayo, ithi: “Amathemba Afiphele Esayensi Ephambili—Amathemba Omkhumbi-mkhathi We-NASA [National Aeronautics and Space Administration] Ayashabalala, Futhi I-Hubble Inenkinga Yokubona.” Umagazini i-Science wachaza lenkinga ngolimi oluzwakalayo: “Izazi Zezinkanyezi Zihlaziya Umonakalo We-Hubble—Iphutha Elincane Kangaka Alikaze Libangele Inhlekelele Enkulu Kangaka—Kodwa Ngesibonakude Sama-dollar Ayizigidi Ezingu-1 600, Imishini Yokulinganisa Ibanga Ingabangela Umonakalo Omkhulu.” Umagazini ofanayo wabika ngo-December 1990: “Ukuzigqaja Kwe-Hubble: Isibonelo Sobumpumputhe ‘Obuqinisekisiwe.’” Wathi: “Umbiko wokugcina weqembu le-NASA lokuphenya eligunyaziwe uphetha ngokuthi iphutha lokubona elikhungathekisayo le-Hubble Space Telescope labangelwa ubudlabha obukhulu.”

Nokho, lalisekhona ithemba. Ngo-March 1992, umagazini i-Smithsonian wabika: “Izithombe Ezihlaba Umxhwele Zesibonakude Sasemkhathini Esilimele.” Wathi: “Nakuba eminingi yemisebenzi yaso isaphazamisekile, lesi sibonakude sisanikeza izazi zezinkanyezi ukwaziswa okuyigugu. . . . Siye saveza izinto ezimangalisayo, njengamaqoqo ezinkanyezi ayimbulunga (ngokuvamile abhekwa njengezinye zezinto ezindala kakhulu eNdaweni Yonke) lapho eqala; siye sahlola inkaba yomthala okude ukuze siqinisekise inkolelo-mbono yokuthi kunomgodi omnyama ogwinya izinkanyezi enkabeni yalowo mthala.”b

“Ukuthunywa Kwe-NASA Okuwumnqamulajuqu”

Khona-ke, ngo-November 1993, kwakunesihloko esikhulu kuyi-Science News esasilindelwe ososayensi nezazi zezinkanyezi esithi: “Ukulungisa Okukhulu—I-NASA Ihlose Ukulungisa I-Hubble Space Telescope.” Ngokwe-New Scientist, kwakuhilela “ukuthunywa kokulungisa okushukumisa kakhulu emlandweni wokuya emkhathini.” Iqembu lezazi zezinkanyezi ezingu-7 kwakuyodingeka liqoqe i-HST futhi liyilungisele egumbini lezimpahla kumkhumbi-mkhathi walo emkhathini. Kwabizwa ngokuthi “Ukuthunywa Kwe-NASA Okuwumnqamulajuqu” nangokuthi “Ukufika Kwangqingetshe.” Ingabe kwaphumelela?

Umqondisi wohambo uMilt Heflin watshela i-Newsweek: ‘Sayikhiph’ inkani.’ Laba bakhandi bezinto ezithwebula izithombe zezinkanyezi babefeze umsebenzi onzima ongokwesayensi—besebenzela ngaphandle komkhumbi-mkhathi izikhathi ezinhlanu, babelungise imishini yokubona ye-HST futhi bafaka ikhamera entsha engangopiyano! Kwakuthathe iminyaka emithathu ngaphambi kokuba baye lapho beyolungisa izinto ezingasebenzi kahle futhi bafake ezifanele. Kodwa kwakumba eqolo ukulungisa lokho. Ngokomunye umthombo, umkhankaso wokulungisa i-lens wadla ama-dollar ayizigidi ezingu-263 [amaRandi ayizigidi ezingu-955]!

Lesi senzakalo esiphawulekayo safinyelela umvuthwandaba waso ngo-January 1994 lapho kuphuma izihloko ezinkulu ezinjengesithi “Isibonakude I-Hubble Sesibona Izinto Eziqhelile” nesithi “Ekugcineni I-Hubble Ibona Ngendlela Enhle Kakhulu.” Umagazini i-Astronomy wamemezela: “I-Hubble—Ingcono Kunangesikhathi Iseyintsha.” Yabika ngokusabela kwezazi zezinkanyezi eSpace Telescope Science Institute lapho kufika izithombe zokuqala: “Ziyamangalisa.” “Izithombe zokuqala zasivusa amadlingozi.” “I-Hubble ilungiswe ngaphezu kwalokho ebesikulindele,” kubabaza uDkt. Edward J. Weiler, usosayensi owayephethe lomkhankaso.

Ziyini Izinzuzo?

Ngokushesha ukulungisa imishini yokubona kwaba nemivuzo. Ngo-June 1994, i-Time yabika ukuthi i-HST yayithole ubufakazi obuqinisekile obusekela ukuba khona kwemigodi emnyama. I-NASA yamemezela ukuthi yayithole “ifu legesi eliyisiyingi elalijikeleza ngesivinini esiphakeme esingamamayela ayizigidi ezingu-1,2 ngehora [amakhilomitha ayizigidi ezingu-1,9 ngehora].” Cishe liqhele ngebanga elingakuthatha iminyaka eyizigidi ezingu-50 uhamba ngejubane lokukhanya futhi lisenkabeni yomthala i-M87. Kuthiwa linesisindo sezinkanyezi ezilingana nelanga lethu ezisukela ezigidini eziyizinkulungwane ezimbili kuya kwezintathu kodwa ezigxushwe endaweni elingana nesimiso sethu sonozungezilanga! Ososayensi balinganisela ukuthi lesi siyingi segesi sinezinga lokushisa elingu-10 000°C. Okuwukuphela kwendlela ekhona yokuchaza lokhu amandla amakhulu adonsela phansi omgodi omkhulu omnyama okuzungeza kuwo lesi siyingi.

I-Hubble yanikeza nezithombe ezinhle zenkanyezi enomsila i-Shoemaker-Levy 9 njengoba yayiphokophele kuyi-Jupiter, lapho yashabalala khona ngo-July 1994. Izithombe zemithala ezithunyelwa yi-HST zigqame kangangokuthi omunye usosayensi wathi ngomsebenzi wokuyilungisa: “Ukushintsha isibuko okuncane, umvuzo omkhulu wesayensi yokuhlola izinkanyezi.” Manje, ngokwe-Scientific American, “i-Hubble inekhono lokuhlaziya elingcono okungenani ngokuphindwe kayishumi kunelanoma iliphi ithuluzi elisemhlabeni, ngakho ingabona ngokucacile emkhathini ngobukhulu obuphindwe izikhathi ezingu-1 000 [kunezinye izibonakude].”

I-Hubble yenza abasekeli bezinkolelo-mbono bahlaziye eminye yemibono yabo ngobudala bendawo yonke. Eqinisweni, baye babhekana nokudideka ngokwendlela izinto eziqondwa ngayo manje. Ngokomlobi wezesayensi we-New York Times uWilford, ubufakazi bamuva nje be-HST bunikeza “ubufakazi obunamandla bokuthi indawo yonke kungenzeka incane kakhulu kunalokho ososayensi ababekulinganisela ngaphambili. Kungenzeka ineminyaka engengaphezu kwezigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-8 ubudala,” uma kuqhathaniswa nokulinganisela kwangaphambili okwakufinyelela eminyakeni eyizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-20. Inkinga iwukuthi “ezinye izinkanyezi kulinganiselwa ngokwethembeka ukuthi zineminyaka eyizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-16 ubudala.” Njengoba esho, akumangalisi ukuthi “indawo yonke iyaqhubeka idida izazi zesayensi yendawo yonke, idalula ukulinganiselwa okudabukisayo kolwazi lwazo.” Uyanezela: “Labo abahlola indawo yonke kumelwe bavume ukuthi naphezu kokuhlakanipha nobungqondongqondo babo, ngeke bazithole izimpendulo eziningi ezibalulekile.”

Umuntu kumelwe afunde ukuthobeka uJobe akufundiswa lapho uJehova embuza esesivunguvungwini: “Ungaziqinisa yini izibopho ze-Pleiades, noma uthukulule amabhande e-Orion? Ungayiqondisa yini indonsa ngezikhathi zayo futhi ubonise iBhere namawundlu alo indlela okufanele ayithathe? Uyayiqonda yini imithetho yasezulwini?”—Jobe 38: 31-33, The Jerusalem Bible.

Kuthiwani Ngesikhathi Esizayo?

Isibonakude i-Hubble singase sembule okukhulu esikhathini esizayo esiseduze. Esinye isazi sezinkanyezi sabhala: “Nge-Hubble Space Telescope, siyobona ukwakheka kwemithala eminingi esendaweni yama-quasar [imithombo yamaza yama-quasi-stellar, izinto ezikhanya kunazo zonke endaweni yonke].” Ngokuphathelene nokuqonda umsuka wemithala, uRichard Ellis wase-University of Cambridge, eNgilandi, uthi: “Sisondele esikhathini esivusa amadlingozi ngempela.”

Ilukuluku lomuntu lokufuna ukwazi liyoqhubezela ukufuna ulwazi ngendawo yonke, umsuka wayo, nenjongo yayo. Ulwazi olunjalo kufanele lushukumise izinhliziyo zethu ukuba zihloniphe uMdali wendawo yonke ebanzi, uJehova uNkulunkulu, owathi: “Phakamiselani amehlo enu phezulu, nibone. Ngubani odalile lezozinto na? Nguye okhipha ibandla lazo ngezibalo, abize zonke ngamagama; ngobuningi bamandla akhe nangobukhulu bezikhwepha zakhe ayisilali neyodwa.”—Isaya 40:26; IHubo 147:4.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Umdwebo/Isithombe ekhasini 16, 17]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

A: Isibuko esikhulu

B: Isibuko esincane

C: Kushintshwa ama-“gyroscope” amane, asetshenziselwa ukuqondisa isibonakude

D: Kushintshwa i-“solar panel” eyonakele

E: Kufakwa ikhamera entsha ebona indawo ebanzi

F: I-Corrective Optics Space Telescope Axial Replacement ilungisa isibuko esilimele

G: Kushintshwa imishini yokuqondisa ama-“solar panel”

[Isithombe ekhasini 16]

Phezulu kwesobunxele: Isithombe se-HST somthala i-M100 ngaphambi kokulungiswa

[Umthombo]

NASA photo

[Isithombe ekhasini 17]

Phezulu maphakathi: Ukufaka ikhamera entsha enkulu

[Umthombo]

NASA photo

[Isithombe ekhasini 17]

Phezulu kwesokudla: Isithombe se-HST somthala i-M100 ngemva kokulungiswa

[Umthombo]

NASA photo

[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 15]

NASA photo