Eye in space: Launch Pad Lecture looks at the Hubble Space Telescope’s legacy at New Mexico Museum of Space History on April 3
2026-04-03 09:00 - 10:00 UTC | New Horizons Dome Theater and Planetarium, 3198 State Route 2001, Alamogordo, NM, 88310, United States
New Mexico Museum of Space History’s Launch Pad Lecture
Guest Speaker: Mackette Kark, NMMSH Museum Educator
Lecture Topic: Hubble Space Telescope
Location: New Horizons Dome Theater and Planetarium
Date: April 3, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
(Alamogordo, NM) — The Hubble Space Telescope is brought into focus in an upcoming Launch Pad Lecture at the New Mexico Museum of Space History. Since its launch in 1990, Hubble has looked into distant galaxies, bringing the world breathtaking glimpses that have transformed scientific understanding of galaxies, nebulae, and stellar evolution. The New Mexico Museum of Space History celebrates that legacy with a Launch Pad Lecture on Friday, April 3, 2026, from 9 – 10 a.m. in the New Horizons Dome Theater and Planetarium.
Museum educator Mackette Kark will explore the history, engineering, and discoveries behind Hubble, which reveal some of the most distant corners of the universe. The talk will highlight the telescope’s early challenges, its dramatic in‑orbit fixes, and the breathtaking images that have reshaped our understanding of galaxies, nebulae, and the life cycles of stars.
“For over 35 years, the Hubble Space Telescope has transformed the way we see the cosmos—capturing breathtaking images of distant galaxies, glowing nebulae, and the very edges of the observable universe,” says Kark. “As one of humanity’s most groundbreaking scientific achievements, Hubble has revolutionized our understanding of space, uncovering new worlds, revealing the life cycles of stars, and helping us trace the origins and destiny of the universe itself. Through the dedication of visionary scientists and engineers, Hubble continues to ignite wonder, deepen discovery, and expand our cosmic horizons—one stunning image at a time.”
Guest Speaker Bio: Mackette Kark, a Four Corners native, spent a decade as a ranger in Acadia National Park, where leading star programs fueled her passion for astronomy. Now back in the desert Southwest, she’s an educator at the New Mexico Museum of Space History and liaison to the local Astronomy League, inspiring curiosity about the universe in learners of all ages.
The NM Museum of Space History’s Launch Pad Lecture Series is held on the first Friday of each month in the New Horizons Dome Theater and Planetarium in the Clyde W. Tombaugh Education Center. Museum staff, and sometimes special guest speakers, discuss topics ranging from space history to space future. Free to the public. Coffee and donuts provided. For more information, email msh.info@dca.nm.gov or visit our website at www.nmspacemuseum.org

These towering tendrils of cosmic dust and gas sit at the heart of M16, or the Eagle Nebula. The aptly named Pillars of Creation, featured in this stunning Hubble image, are part of an active star-forming region within the nebula and hide newborn stars in their wispy columns. (Photo courtesy of NASA.)
