NASA’s Hubble Telescope Reaches Milestone, Looks for Elusive Supernova

Hubble imaged galaxy cluster MACS J0417 on Sept. 19, 2026 to watch for the return of supernova Athena. Webb found Athena in 2025, and the cluster's gravity bends its light, so repeat appearances are predicted between now and early March 2027, and their timing will refine the universe's expansion rate. Hubble also logged its 200,000th orbit that day, a sign it is still producing new science.