Distribution of Extragalactic Nebulae
Hubble publishes a Science article on the distribution of extragalactic nebulae, summarising evidence from galaxy counts and their spatial pattern across surveyed regions.
Historical biography archive · Updated 2026-11-03
Edwin Powell Hubble Biography and Timeline — Page 2
Follow Edwin Powell Hubble through 81 dated historical records for United States of America.
Edwin Powell Hubble, historical timeline
A chronological timeline drawn from matching World History Database records.
81Distinct records
2 of 3Page
1932–1990Years on this page
1932
Globular Cluster Candidates in Messier 31
Hubble publishes observations of 140 nebulous objects in and around Messier 31 and provisionally identifies them as globular clusters from their structure, luminosity, dimensions and colours.
Surface Brightness of Threshold Images
Hubble publishes a technical study of the surface brightness of threshold photographic images, improving methods used to estimate the magnitudes of faint nebulae from photographic plates.
1934
Detailed Distribution of Extragalactic Nebulae
Hubble publishes an extensive Astrophysical Journal analysis of the distribution of extragalactic nebulae, using large galaxy counts to test the uniformity and large-scale structure of the observable universe.
The Realm of the Nebulae Article
Hubble publishes an article titled The Realm of the Nebulae in Scientific Monthly, presenting the emerging observational picture of galaxies and the expanding reach of extragalactic astronomy.
Velocity-Distance Relation for Isolated Extragalactic Nebulae
Edwin Hubble and Milton Humason publish a study of the velocity-distance relation for isolated extragalactic nebulae, testing the relation with systems selected outside rich clusters.
1935
Asteroid 1373 Cincinnati
Edwin Hubble discovers asteroid 1373 Cincinnati at Mount Wilson Observatory.
Angular Rotations of Spiral Nebulae
Hubble publishes an Astrophysical Journal note on reported angular rotations of spiral nebulae, addressing whether measurable internal angular motions were compatible with their extragalactic distances.
Silliman Lectures at Yale
Edwin Hubble delivers the Silliman Memorial Lectures at Yale, presenting a systematic account of extragalactic astronomy that becomes the foundation of his 1936 book The Realm of the Nebulae.
Two Methods of Investigating Nebular Redshift
Edwin Hubble and Richard C. Tolman publish two observational methods for testing the nature of nebular redshift, linking galaxy measurements with cosmological models.
1936
Effects of Red Shifts on the Distribution of Nebulae
Hubble publishes a major analysis of how redshift assumptions affect the inferred distribution of nebulae, comparing observational counts with different cosmological interpretations.
Luminosity Function from Brightest Stars
Hubble publishes the first part of his study of the luminosity function of nebulae, using the brightest resolved stars in nearby galaxies as indicators of total galaxy luminosity.
Luminosity Function from Velocity-Magnitude Residuals
Hubble publishes the second part of his luminosity-function investigation, deriving statistical information from residuals in the observed velocity-magnitude relation of galaxies.
Publication of The Realm of the Nebulae
Yale University Press publishes Hubble's The Realm of the Nebulae, a systematic synthesis of his observational work on galaxies, distance scales, redshifts and the structure of the observable universe.
Supernova in the Virgo Cluster
Edwin Hubble and Glenn Moore publish observations of a supernova in the Virgo Cluster, adding a luminous stellar explosion in an external galaxy cluster to the developing record of supernovae.
1937
Our Sample of the Universe
Hubble publishes Our Sample of the Universe, discussing the observational limits of contemporary galaxy surveys and the care needed when inferring cosmic properties from a finite sample.
1938
Adventures in Cosmology
Hubble publishes Adventures in Cosmology for the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, presenting the challenges and discoveries involved in extending observation to the largest accessible scales.
Catherine Wolfe Bruce Gold Medal
The Astronomical Society of the Pacific awards Edwin Hubble the Catherine Wolfe Bruce Gold Medal for outstanding lifetime achievement and major contributions to astronomical research.
Explorations in the Realm of the Nebulae
Hubble contributes Explorations in the Realm of the Nebulae to a Carnegie Institution volume on research cooperation, describing the observational programme used to investigate distant galaxies.
The Nature of the Nebulae
Hubble publishes The Nature of the Nebulae in Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, reviewing the physical and observational character of nebulae and external galaxies.
1939
Barred Spirals
Hubble publishes a report on barred spiral galaxies, extending his morphological work on systems whose spiral arms emerge from a central bar rather than directly from the nucleus.
Franklin Medal in Physics
The Franklin Institute awards Edwin Hubble the 1939 Franklin Medal in Physics for his extensive studies of nebulae beyond the Milky Way and the resulting enlargement of the known scale of the universe.
Motion of the Galactic System Among the Nebulae
Hubble analyses residual radial motions of nebulae after removal of the systematic redshift trend in order to estimate the motion of the Milky Way system relative to external galaxies.
New Stellar Systems in Sculptor and Fornax
Edwin Hubble and Walter Baade publish observations of newly recognised stellar systems in Sculptor and Fornax, helping establish these faint systems as nearby members of the Local Group environment.
1940
Problems of Nebular Research
Hubble publishes Problems of Nebular Research in Scientific Monthly, reviewing unresolved observational questions involving galaxies, distance measurements, redshifts and the interpretation of deep-space surveys.
1941
Direction of Rotation of Spiral Nebulae
Edwin Hubble and Nicholas U. Mayall publish a report on the direction of rotation of spiral nebulae, using observed spiral structure and kinematic evidence to investigate galaxy rotation.
Supernovae
Hubble publishes a substantial review of supernovae in Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, discussing these exceptionally luminous stellar explosions as phenomena observable in external galaxies.
1942
The Problem of the Expanding Universe
Hubble publishes The Problem of the Expanding Universe, assessing the observational evidence for cosmic expansion and the uncertainties that remained in interpreting galaxy redshifts.
1943
Detailed Study of Spiral-Nebula Rotation
Hubble publishes a fuller Astrophysical Journal treatment of the direction of rotation in spiral nebulae, extending the earlier work with Nicholas Mayall into a detailed analysis.
1945
The Exploration of Space in The Scientists Speak
Hubble contributes an essay on the exploration of space to The Scientists Speak, explaining how astronomical observations were progressively enlarging the empirically accessible universe.
1947
The 200-Inch Telescope and Its Scientific Problems
Hubble publishes an assessment of the 200-inch Hale telescope and the astronomical problems it could address, outlining how the larger aperture would extend extragalactic observations beyond Mount Wilson's limits.
1949
First Photographs with the 200-Inch Hale Telescope
Hubble publishes the first photographic results from the 200-inch Hale telescope, reporting images that reached substantially fainter stars and nebulae than the 100-inch Mount Wilson reflector.
Five Historic Photographs from Palomar
Hubble publishes Five Historic Photographs from Palomar in Scientific American, presenting early Hale telescope images that demonstrated the new observatory's power for deep astronomical photography.
1950
Historic Sky Photographs from Palomar
A Spanish-language article presents historic sky photographs taken at Palomar Observatory under Hubble's authorship, broadening international dissemination of the new 200-inch telescope's early results.
1951
Cosmological Program for the Palomar Telescope
Hubble publishes his cosmological programme for the Palomar telescope, setting out how the 200-inch instrument could test galaxy distributions, redshifts and the scale of the observable universe.
1953
Death of Edwin Powell Hubble
Edwin Powell Hubble dies in San Marino, California.
Brightest Variable Stars in M31 and M33
Edwin Hubble and Allan Sandage publish a study of the brightest variable stars in M31 and M33, refining observations of luminous variables used in the extragalactic distance-scale programme.
1958
Reissue of The Realm of the Nebulae
Dover republishes Hubble's The Realm of the Nebulae, keeping his classic account of observational extragalactic astronomy available to a new generation of astronomers and readers.
1983
Asteroid 2069 Hubble Officially Named
The Minor Planet Center publishes the approved naming citation for asteroid (2069) Hubble, formally honouring Edwin Hubble for his pioneering work in extragalactic astronomy and observational cosmology.
1990
Hubble Space Telescope
The Hubble Space Telescope, named in honour of astronomer Edwin Hubble, is launched aboard Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-31. It is deployed into orbit the following day.
Records, sources and methodology
These dates and descriptions come from the historical_events database. Exact duplicate records have been collapsed. Names are grouped by the country, Name 2 and Name 1 fields; records with missing Name 2 cannot be reliably assigned to an individual biography. Check the underlying sources before formal citation.