ESA - Herschel - The infrared revolution

About Herschel

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The infrared Universe

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The infrared revolution

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The infrared revolution

When and how did the first galaxies form?

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The entire sky in infrared light as seen by AKARI

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This image shows the entire sky in infrared light at nine micrometres. The bright stripe extending from left to right is the disc of our own Milky Way Galaxy. Several bright regions corresponding to strong infrared radiation appear along or next to the Galactic Plane. These regions are sites of newly born stars. At the brightest region in the very centre of the image, towards the centre of our Galaxy, old stars crowd together. AKARI observed the infrared radiation emitted from the heated interstellar dust.

Credits: JAXA

Where and how do planetary systems form and evolve?

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Transiting exoplanet HD 189733b, in the infrared

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An artist’s impression of the transiting exoplanet named 'HD 189733b'. The image is ‘reddened’ to provide an idea of the view in the infrared.

Scientists have reported the first conclusive discovery of the presence of water vapour in the atmosphere of a planet beyond our Solar System.

Infrared analysis of this gas giant’s transit across its parent star provided the breakthrough. The planet HD 189733b lies 63 light-years away, in the constellation Vulpecula.

It was discovered in 2005 as it dimmed the light of its parent star by some three percent when transiting in front of it.

Credits: ESA (C.Carreau)

Herschel: ESA's giant infrared observatory

Revealing the invisible: Caroline and William Herschel Observations: Seeing in infrared wavelengths The electromagnetic spectrum L2, the second Lagrangian Point What are Lagrange points?Why infrared astronomy is a hot topic The infrared explorers

In depth

Herschel in depth