HERSCHEL

Exploring the formation of galaxies and stars
Découvrir la formation des galaxies et des étoiles

Welcome to the Herschel Astronomers' website provided by the Herschel Science Centre (HSC) primarily for the scientific community. For additional ESA and external Herschel related web sites see link buttons above and "Useful links".

Herschel was launched on 14 May 2009! It is the fourth 'cornerstone' mission in the ESA science programme. With a 3.5 m Cassegrain telescope it is the largest space telescope ever launched. It is performing photometry and spectroscopy in approximately the 55-671 µm range, bridging the gap between earlier infrared space missions and groundbased facilities.

Herschel has been designed to observe the `cool universe'; it is observing the structure formation in the early universe, resolving the far infrared cosmic background, revealing cosmologically evolving AGN/starburst symbiosis and galaxy evolution at the epochs when most stars in the universe were formed, unveiling the physics and chemistry of the interstellar medium and its molecular clouds, the wombs of the stars, and unravelling the mechanisms governing the formation of and evolution of stars and their planetary systems, including our own solar system, putting it into context. In short, Herschel is opening a new window to study how the universe has evolved to become the universe we see today, and how our star the sun, our planet the earth, and we ourselves fit in.

'Herschel Ten Years After Launch: Science And Celebration' mini-symposium

'Herschel ten years after launch: science and celebration' material posted! The Herschel ten years after launch: science and celebration mini-symposium was held on 13-14 May 2019. This event took place in connection with the 10th anniversary of the launch of Herschel It was both a celebration of Herschel and its science, as well as an attempt to place Herschel's science results in the spotlight of what we know today. The format was a mini-workshop with invited and contributed presentations, with a social break around the time of the launch ten years earlier. We know it was organised last minute, so lots of thanks to everyone who managed to participate and helped making the symposium a very enjoyable and successful event. Thanks to all!

'Water in the Universe: From Clouds to Oceans'  symposium

'Water in the Universe: From Clouds to Oceans' symposium material posted! The Water in the Universe: From Clouds to Oceans symposium was held on 12-15 April 2016. In the four days 57 talks were given and 37 posters displayed by about 100 attendees. All talks and some posters have been posted on the symposium website. Thanks to everyone who participated and helped making the symposium a very enjoyable and successful event. Thank you!

'Star Formation Across Space and Time'  symposium

'Star Formation Across Space and Time' symposium material posted! The Star Formation Across Space and Time symposium was held on 11-14 November 2014. In the four days 59 talks were given and 54 posters displayed by about 120 attendees. The talks and most posters have been posted on the symposium website. Thanks to everyone who participated and helped making the symposium a very enjoyable and successful event. Thank you!

'The Universe Explored by Herschel'  symposium

'The Universe Explored by Herschel' symposium material posted! The Universe Explored by Herschel symposium was held on 15-18 October 2013 to present, discuss, and take stock of the scientific results based on Herschel to date. In the four days 114 talks were given and about 200 posters displayed by over 350 attendees. All talks have been posted on the symposaium website as well as the posters we have received. We also want to thank everyone who participated and helped making the symposium a very successful event. Thank you!