Galaxy-spotting telescope that studied star formation celebrated by scientists
The Herschel Space Observatory's discoveries are celebrated this week by the European Space Agency and collaborating institutes, including Imperial. Herschel was launched in 2009 and operated for four years, peering at distant galaxies for clues as to how they form stars and key molecules such as water. I remember seeing the first deep extragalactic survey data coming in and thinking 'My God, it's full of galaxies'. Dr Dave Clements The mission came to an end in 2013 when the observatory exhausted its supply of coolant, necessary to keep the instruments working. The craft was then put into an orbit around the sun, where it drifts today. The European Space Agency (ESA) has chosen 18-22 September 2017 to celebrate the achievements and legacy of the Herschel Space Observatory. Seeing further.


