QUESTION: How long are the panels on the Hubble? ANSWER from Megan Donahue: The solar panels are almost as long as the telescope itself. They are 12.1 meters long and 2.4 meters wide. They provide the power to the on-board computers and scientific instruments, and charge up the nickel-hydrogen batteries. Here's a thought question for you: why does the Hubble need batteries or energy storage devices of any kind? [Hint: The Hubble is in orbit about 600 km above the Earth, more or less over the Earth's equator. So what does the Sun do every orbit, from the point of view of the Hubble?]