This year, NASA issued the book Not Yet Imagined, a history covering the first three decades of Hubble Space Telescope Operations.

Journalist and astronomer Chris Gainor wrote the book, and on Thursday, May 20, 2021, the RASC History Committee hosted a Speaker Series talk with him — “Son of Hubble: Confessions of a Hubble Space Telescope Historian.”

In this webinar, Gainor tells the story of writing the book. Along the way, he speaks about Hubble itself, which is much more than a telescope that happens to be located in space.

Not Yet Imagined documents the history of HST from its launch through its first 30 years of operation in space. It focuses on the interactions among the general public, astronomers, engineers, government officials and members of Congress during that time. This book also covers the impact of HST and the images it produces on the public’s appreciation for the universe, and how HST has changed the ways astronomy is done. You can get an e-copy of the book here. Gainor’s recent article “Amateur Astronomers and the Hubble Space Telescope” is available for download here, as well.

Watch the talk below.