Hubble radiation damage found to lag Solar cycle by over four years

A study published on arXiv has found that radiation damage sustained by the Hubble Space Telescope is approximately 4.3 years out of phase with the Solar cycle. This means the degradation Hubble experiences does not peak in sync with solar maximum, but rather with a notable delay. Researchers analyzed the relationship between solar activity and the cumulative radiation effects on Hubble's instruments and detectors. Understanding this phase lag is important for predicting future instrument performance and planning maintenance or calibration strategies for long-running space observatories.