ESA title
Science & Exploration

Contact for further information

05/10/2011 621 views 0 likes
ESA / Science & Exploration / Space Science / Herschel

Notes to editors
HIFI is the Heterodyne Instrument for the Far-Infrared spectrometer on the Herschel Space Observatory. It was designed to observe water in a wide variety of objects, and aims to study not only planet-forming discs and star formation, but also galactic evolution. Its capability for highly detailed chemical identification of individual atoms and molecules makes it the instrument of choice for studying chemistry throughout space, particularly around embryonic and dying stars.

Related publications
M. Hogerheijde, et al., "Detection of the Water Reservoir in a Forming Planetary System", 2011, Science, Vol. 334 no. 6054 pp. 338-340. DOI: 10.1126/science.1208931

05 Oct 2011 - Herschel finds first evidence of Earth-like water in a comet

Contacts

Markus Bauer
ESA Science and Robotic Exploration Communication Officer
Email: markus.bauer@esa.int
Tel: +31 71 565 6799
Mob: +31 61 594 3 954

Michiel Hogerheijde
Leiden Observatory
Tel: +31 71 527 5590
Email: michiel@strw.leidenuniv.nl

Göran Pilbratt
ESA Herschel Project Scientist
Tel: +31 71 565 3621
Email: gpilbratt@rssd.esa.int

Related Links

Science & Exploration

Other Herschel First Science Stories

01/01/1970 1486 views
Open item
Detection of water vapour in the spectrum of TW Hydrae's protoplanetary disc
Science & Exploration

Herschel detects abundant water in planet-forming disc

20/10/2011 3553 views 1 likes
Read
Comet Hartley 2 observed by ESA’s Herschel
Science & Exploration

Did Earth's oceans come from comets?

05/10/2011 8898 views 18 likes
Read
Galaxy forming stars
Science & Exploration

Herschel paints new story of galaxy evolution

13/09/2011 4288 views 7 likes
Read
Herschel found oxygen molecules near the Orion nebula.
Science & Exploration

Astronomers searching for oxygen can breathe more easily

01/08/2011 5573 views 3 likes
Read
Water plumes shoot from Enceladus
Science & Exploration

Enceladus rains water onto Saturn

26/07/2011 10389 views 14 likes
Read
An artist’s impression showing a galaxy with a molecular outflow
Science & Exploration

Raging storms sweep away galactic gas

09/05/2011 3825 views 2 likes
Read
Dense filaments of gas in IC5146
Science & Exploration

Herschel links star formation to sonic booms

13/04/2011 3443 views 7 likes
Read
The calculated distribution of dark matter
Science & Exploration

Herschel finds less dark matter but more stars

16/02/2011 4434 views 1 likes
Read
Andromeda: our nearest large galactic neighbour
Science & Exploration

Andromeda’s once and future stars

05/01/2011 10594 views 18 likes
Read
Giant star IRC+10216
Science & Exploration

Recipe for water: just add starlight

02/09/2010 2703 views 8 likes
Read
The Herschel and Planck AAAF Grand Prix 2010 award ceremony
Science & Exploration

Herschel and Planck win the French Grand Prix

10/06/2010 1665 views 2 likes
Read
NGC 1999: Truly a hole in space.
Science & Exploration

Herschel finds a hole in space

11/05/2010 10565 views 32 likes
Read
The Galactic bubble RCW 120
Science & Exploration

Herschel reveals the hidden side of star birth

06/05/2010 4598 views 6 likes
Read
The CB244 dark globule
Science & Exploration

Herschel takes the temperature of an interstellar cloud

06/05/2010 3441 views 2 likes
Read
Herschel and Rosette Nebula
Science & Exploration

Tracing the Milky Way’s hidden reservoirs of gas

06/05/2010 1612 views 4 likes
Read
Previously unseen galaxies revealed to ESA's Herschel
Science & Exploration

Herschel resolves the cosmic infrared fog

06/05/2010 1875 views 0 likes
Read
The Rosette molecular cloud, seen by Herschel
Science & Exploration

Baby stars in the Rosette cloud

12/04/2010 6916 views 14 likes
Read
Inside the dark heart of the Eagle
Science & Exploration

Inside the dark heart of the Eagle

16/12/2009 4082 views 3 likes
Read
Reservoir of cold gas in the constellation of the Southern Cross
Science & Exploration

Herschel views deep-space pearls on a cosmic string

02/10/2009 3852 views 5 likes
Read
ISO: Infrared Space Observatory
Agency

Observations: Seeing in infrared wavelengths

6166 views 19 likes
Read
Cold comfort for newborn stars - ISO unmasks the icy veil around the Eagle's fiery heart
Science & Exploration

Why infrared astronomy is a hot topic

11/09/2003 10368 views 35 likes
Read
Location of Lagrangian point (L2)
Science & Exploration

L2, the second Lagrangian Point

192489 views 1481 likes
Read