Why is the Hubble Space Telescope able to take so much better pictures than ground based telescopes?
The HST is able to take better pictures because its above the Earth’s atmosphere. That means its never cloudy, and we don’t have to look through the turbulence and pollution that makes viewing difficult in many cities. Only about 25% of the light from a star makes it directly to the ground without being scattered in some way by the atmosphere. Putting the HST in orbit gets it above the air, which gives it a crystal clear view of space.
