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{{Infobox Space telescope
{{Infobox Space telescope
|name = Herschel Space Observatory ("Herschel")
|name = Herschel Space Observatory ("Herschel")
|image = [[Image:Herschel_Space_Observatory.jpg|250px|Artist's impression of the Herschel Space Observatory]]
|image = [[Image:.jpg|250px| Herschel Space Observatory]]
|caption = Artist's impression of the Herschel Space Observatory
|caption = Artist's impression of the Herschel Space Observatory
|organization = [[European Space Agency|ESA]]
|organization = [[European Space Agency|ESA]]
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}}
}}


The '''Herschel Space Observatory''' ("Herschel") is a [[European Space Agency|European Space Agency (ESA)]] mission originally proposed in 1982 by a consortium of European scientists that included Thijs de Graauw ([[Netherlands Institute for Space Research]]), Gisbert Winnewisser (University of Cologne), [[Michael Rowan-Robinson]] ([[Imperial College]], London), [[Glenn White]] (Open University and The [[Rutherford Appleton Laboratory]]), and [[Malcolm Longair]] ([[University of Cambridge]]). Launch is currently targeted for April 16, 2009 from [[Guiana Space Center|Kourou]], [[French Guiana]].
The '''Herschel Space Observatory''' ("Herschel") is a [[European Space Agency|European Space Agency (ESA)]] mission originally proposed in 1982 by a consortium of European scientists that included Thijs de Graauw ([[Netherlands Institute for Space Research]]), Gisbert Winnewisser (University of Cologne), [[Michael Rowan-Robinson]] ([[Imperial College]], London), [[Glenn White]] (Open University and The [[Rutherford Appleton Laboratory]]), and [[Malcolm Longair]] ([[University of Cambridge]]). Launch is currently targeted for April 16, 2009 from [[Guiana Space Center|Kourou]], [[French Guiana]].


The satellite, built in the [[Cannes Mandelieu Space Center]] with a joint launch cost of €1.1 billion ($1.7 billion), is due to be carried with the [[Planck (satellite)|Planck satellite]] into space by an [[Ariane 5]] ECA rocket. It is then meant to enter a [[Lissajous orbit]] of 700,000&nbsp;km diameter around the [[Lagrangian point|second Lagrangian point (L2)]] of the [[List of objects at Lagrangian points|Earth-Sun system]], 1.5 million kilometres distant from the Earth.<ref name="FACT">{{cite web |url=http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMA539YFDD_index_0.html |title=Herschel Factsheet |publisher=European Space Agency |accessdate=2007-09-29 |date=[[1 February]] [[2007]]}}</ref> The mission is named after [[Sir William Herschel]], the discoverer of the [[infrared]] spectrum.<ref name="FACT"/>
The satellite, built in the [[Cannes Mandelieu Space Center]] with a joint launch cost of €1.1 billion ($1.7 billion), is due to be carried with the [[Planck (satellite)|Planck satellite]] into space by an [[Ariane 5]] ECA rocket. It is then meant to enter a [[Lissajous orbit]] of 700,000&nbsp;km diameter around the [[Lagrangian point|second Lagrangian point (L2)]] of the [[List of objects at Lagrangian points|Earth-Sun system]], 1.5 million kilometres distant from the Earth.<ref name="FACT">{{cite web |url=http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMA539YFDD_index_0.html |title=Herschel Factsheet |publisher=European Space Agency |accessdate=2007-09-29 |date=[[1 February]] [[2007]]}}</ref> The mission is named after [[Sir William Herschel]], the discoverer of the [[infrared]] spectrum.<ref name="FACT"/>

Revision as of 22:12, 13 February 2009

This article is about the future ESA space telescope. For the telescope on the Canary Islands, see William Herschel Telescope.
Herschel Space Observatory ("Herschel")
The Herschel Space Observatory
COSPAR ID2009-026A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.34937Edit this on Wikidata
Websitewww.esa.int/esaSC/120390_index_0_m.html
Start of mission
Launch datescheduled for 16 April 2009

The Herschel Space Observatory ("Herschel") is a European Space Agency (ESA) mission originally proposed in 1982 by a consortium of European scientists that included Thijs de Graauw (Netherlands Institute for Space Research), Gisbert Winnewisser (University of Cologne), Michael Rowan-Robinson (Imperial College, London), Glenn White (Open University and The Rutherford Appleton Laboratory), and Malcolm Longair (University of Cambridge). Launch is currently targeted for April 16, 2009 from Kourou, French Guiana. The spacecraft was transported to French Guiana onboard an Antonov An-124 aircraft on February 10th, 2009.

The satellite, built in the Cannes Mandelieu Space Center with a joint launch cost of €1.1 billion ($1.7 billion), is due to be carried with the Planck satellite into space by an Ariane 5 ECA rocket. It is then meant to enter a Lissajous orbit of 700,000 km diameter around the second Lagrangian point (L2) of the Earth-Sun system, 1.5 million kilometres distant from the Earth.[1] The mission is named after Sir William Herschel, the discoverer of the infrared spectrum.[1]

Instrument

The mission, formerly titled the Far Infrared and Sub-millimetre Telescope (FIRST),[2] will be the first space observatory to cover the full far infrared and submillimetre waveband. At 3.5 meters wide, its telescope will incorporate the largest mirror ever deployed in space.[3] The light will be focused onto three instruments with detectors kept at temperatures below 2 K. The instruments will be cooled with liquid helium, boiling away in a near vacuum at a temperature of approximately 1.4 K. The 2,000 litres of helium on board the satellite will limit its operational lifetime. The satellite is expected to be operational for at least 3 years.[4]

The three detectors on board Herschel will be:[5]

  • PACS (Photodetecting Array Camera and Spectrometer), an imaging camera and low-resolution spectrometer covering 55 to 210 micrometres. The spectrometer will have a resolution between 1000 and 5000 and be able to detect signals as weak as a few times 10-18 W/m². The imaging camera will be able to image simultaneously in two bands (either 60-85/85-130 micrometres and 130-210 micrometres) with a detection limit of a few millijanskies.[6]
  • SPIRE (Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver), an imaging camera and low-resolution spectrometer covering 194 to 672 micrometres. The spectrometer will have a resolution between 40 and 1000 at wavelengths of 250 micrometres and be able to image point sources with brightnesses around 100 millijanskies and extended sources with brightnesses of around 500 millijanskies.[7] The imaging camera has three bands, centered at 250, 350 and 500 micrometres, each with 139, 88 and 43 pixels respectively. It should be able to detect point sources with brightness above 2 millijanskies and between 4 and 9 millijanskies for extended sources.
  • HIFI (Heterodyne Instrument for the Far Infrared), a detector with a spectral resolution as high as 107.[8] The spectrometer can be operated within two wavelength bands, from 157 to 212 micrometres and from 240 to 625 micrometres.

Science

Herschel will specialise in collecting light from objects in our Solar System as well as the Milky Way and even extragalactic objects billions of light-years away, such as newborn galaxies.

Herschel's scientific goals are:[2]

See also

References and notes

  • Harwit M. (2004). "The Herschel mission". Advances in Space Research. 34 (3): 568–572. doi:10.1016/j.asr.2003.03.026.
  1. ^ a b "Herschel Factsheet". European Space Agency. 1 February 2007. Retrieved 2007-09-29. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. ^ a b "Herschel". European Space Agency Science & Technology. Retrieved 2007-09-29.
  3. ^ "Herschel Space Observatory". Imperial College. Retrieved 2007-09-29.
  4. ^ 'Silver sensation' seeks cold cosmos BBC
  5. ^ "Herschel". European Space Agency. Retrieved 2007-09-29.
  6. ^ "PACS - Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer" (PDF). Retrieved 2007-09-29.
  7. ^ "SPIRE - Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver" (PDF). European Space Agency. Retrieved 2007-09-29.
  8. ^ "HIFI - Heterodyne Instrument for the Far Infrared" (PDF). European Space Agency. Retrieved 2007-09-29.
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