Since its launch in 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope has been providing us terrestrials with views of the breathtaking shapes and colors of the galaxy, which go otherwise unseen. From its position in orbit, the Hubble is able to photograph planets, nebulae and all types of constellations without the distorting "dirty pane" of atmosphere that ground-based telescopes have to peer through.

The downside, of course, is that the only way to service the Space Telescope is by way of costly shuttle missions, such as in 1993 when the Hubble's primary mirror had to be serviced by astronauts. But just look at the awesome results of the project below and try to tell us it isn't worth it. The Hubble Space Telescope is a joint effort between NASA and the European Space Agency. — Kevin Hall

Hubble Site, via Neatorama