Herschel Space Observatory (HSO) is a large, infrared-wavelength space telescope launched on May 14, 2009 by the European Space Agency (ESA). The observatory is named after William Herschel, who discovered the infrared spectrum using a modified version of his sister’s astronomical telescope in 1800.
The HSO has three scientific instruments aboard: PACS (Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer), SPIRE (Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver), and Herschel Interactive Processing Environment (HIPE). These instruments allow scientists to study star formation, interstellar dust, galaxy evolution, and the Solar System.
PACS covers wavelengths from 55 to 210 microns, while SPIRE covers 250 to 500 microns. Together, these two instruments provide imaging and spectroscopic capabilities over a wide wavelength range. HIPE is a software package that allows astronomers to reduce and analyze data from the HSO’s instruments.
As of March 2018, there have been over 4500 peer-reviewed publications using data from the HSO. Some notable science results include:
– The discovery of water vapor on Jupiter’s moon Europa
– The detection of an extremely luminous galaxy called HerMES J084922+4452 which is powered by two colliding black holes
– Measurements of star formation rates in galaxies out to redshift 6