20th anniversary of NASA's Hubble (21 images)

To celebrate the Hubble Space Telescope's two decades in orbit, we've compiled 20 of our favorite Hubble photos in this collection.

Hubble was launched April 24, 1990, aboard space shuttle Discovery, NASA said, noting Hubble's discoveries have revolutionized nearly all areas of current astronomical research, from planetary science to cosmology.

Although the space telescope has had several technical problems, the space agency said Hubble scientists, engineers and NASA astronauts were able to upgrade the instrument and it now is 100 times more powerful than when it was launched.

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This new Hubble Space Telescope photo released by NASA shows a portion of one of the largest seen star-birth regions in the galaxy, the Carina Nebula. Towers of cool hydrogen laced with dust rise from the wall of the nebula. Captured here are the top of a three-light-year-tall pillar of gas and the dust that is being eaten away by the brilliant light from nearby bright stars. The pillar is also being pushed apart from within, as infant stars buried inside it fire off jets of gas that can be seen streaming from towering peaks like arrows sailing through the air. UPI/NASA
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