The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
Find out more about space activities in our 23 Member States, and understand how ESA works together with their national agencies, institutions and organisations.
Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe
Go to topicProtecting life and infrastructure on Earth and in orbit
Go to topicUsing space to benefit citizens and meet future challenges on Earth
Go to topicMaking space accessible and developing the technologies for the future
Go to topicAn instrument on the SOHO spacecraft shows that the apparent 'superrotation' of the supergranules is due to the vertical motion in the supergranular cells. As in a stadium, people do not move in the direction of 'The Wave' - just up and down. This artist's impression shows a band of supergranules rotating faster across the Sun's surface than other features, such as dark sunsports. This occurs everywhere on the Sun's surface, but is simplified to a narrow band here to highlight the phenomenon.