Herschel Space Observatory Launch Date: May 14, 2009 Mission
Project Home Page - http://herschel.jpl.nasa.gov/ Herschel's
infrared image of the Andromeda Galaxy shows rings of dust that
trace gaseous reservoirs where new stars are forming and XMM-
Newton's X-ray image shows stars approaching the ends of their
lives. Both infrared and X-ray images convey information
impossible to collect from the ground because these wavelengths
are absorbed by Earth's atmosphere. Credits:
ESA/Herschel/PACS/SPIRE/J.Fritz, U.Gent/XMM-Newton/EPIC/W.
Pietsch, MPE The Herschel Space Observatory is a space-based
telescope that is studying the light of the Universe in the far-
infrared and submillimeter portions of the spectrum. It is
revealing new information about the earliest, most distant stars
and galaxies, as well as those closer to home in space and time.
It is also taking a unique look at our own Solar System.
Herschel is the fourth Cornerstone mission in the European Space
Agency’s Horizon 2000 program. Ten countries, includi