Final answer:
The poet means that the Hubble Space Telescope uses a mirror to reflect and focus light from astronomical objects to form images, in analogy to how regular mirrors reflect light.
Step-by-step explanation:
When the poet refers to Hubble as a mirror in the Hubble Space Telescope, they are using a metaphor to describe the function of the telescope's primary instrument. In general, mirrors are used to reflect light, and this is precisely what the Hubble Space Telescope's primary. This mirror effectively gathers and focuses light from distant astronomical objects to form an image, much like mirrors are used in ground-based telescopes to capture faint light from stars and galaxies.
The Hubble Space Telescope, named in honor of the astronomer Edwin Hubble, extends his work of observing the universe. One significant aspect of Hubble's original work was observing distant galaxies to help formulate the expanding universe theory. The space telescope that bears his name continues this tradition and has been instrumental in making pivotal discoveries about our universe.