The tiny MOST satellite with mission scientist Jaymie Matthews.
Click on image for full size
Canadian Space Agency
Related links:
MOST website
MOST - Canada's first space telescope
The MOST satellite is Canada's first space telescope. It is the size of a
large suitcase. It was
launched into orbit from Russia in June 2003 on a
missile built for a nuclear warhead. Under a peace treaty the missile
needed to be destroyed, so they decided to use it for science!
Inside MOST, there is a 6-inch diameter telescope and a high quality
digital camera. Scientists use the camera to take images of pulsating
stars. This records the amount of light reaching us over time. They use
the images to learn about the insides of the stars.
The scientists communicate with MOST through small radio dishes in
Toronto, Vancouver, and Vienna. It is tiny compared to the Hubble Space
Telescope. So, MOST has earned a nickname: the "humble space telescope".
It may be small, but it has made some big discoveries! Visit the MOST
website for details.
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