1. Telescopes:
* Hubble Space Telescope: This iconic telescope orbits Earth and has provided stunning images of distant galaxies, nebulae, and other celestial objects.
* James Webb Space Telescope: This newer telescope orbits the Sun at a point called Lagrange point 2 and is designed to observe the infrared spectrum, allowing it to see farther back in time and study the early universe.
* Space Telescopes like Kepler and TESS: These telescopes are specifically designed to search for exoplanets, planets orbiting stars outside of our solar system.
2. Spacecraft:
* Voyager 1 and 2: These probes are the farthest human-made objects from Earth and have provided valuable information about the outer solar system and interstellar space.
* Other space probes: Many missions, including those exploring Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, carry instruments that can observe stars and other celestial objects.
3. Astronauts:
* Astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS): While their primary mission is not astronomy, they often get breathtaking views of the night sky with Earth in the foreground.
4. Satellites:
* Earth Observation Satellites: While their main purpose is to study Earth, some satellites like the Gaia mission are dedicated to mapping stars in our galaxy.
It's important to note that while these are the main things viewing stars from orbit, many other instruments and probes contribute to our understanding of the universe by gathering data from space.
