First light for Herschel space observatory

[Bill McBlueState]

Herschel opened its 'eyes' on 14 June and the Photoconductor Array Camera and Spectrometer obtained images of M51, ‘the whirlpool galaxy’ for a first test observation. Scientists obtained images in three colours which clearly demonstrate the superiority of Herschel, the largest infrared space telescope ever flown.

This image shows the famous ‘whirlpool galaxy’, first observed by Charles Messier in 1773, who provided the designation Messier 51 (M51). This spiral galaxy lies relatively nearby, about 35 million light-years away, in the constellation Canes Venatici. M51 was the first galaxy discovered to harbour a spiral structure.

The image is a composite of three observations taken at 70, 100 and 160 microns, taken by Herschel’s Photoconductor Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS) on 14 and 15 June, immediately after the satellite’s cryocover was opened on 14 June.

Herschel, launched only a month ago, is still being commissioned and the first images from its instruments were planned to arrive only in a few weeks. But engineers and scientists were challenged to try to plan and execute daring test observations as part of a ‘sneak preview’ immediately after the cryocover was opened. The objective was to produce a very early image that gives a glimpse of things to come.

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The telescope mirror is still cooling, so the image quality will get even better in the coming weeks.

[byronius]

1. That is a beautiful thing to see.

35. Million. Wow.

[jayfish]

2. You Can See M51 From Your Backyard...

using a small optical telescope too. You won't see much in the way of spiral structure but you can see the two galactic cores very plainly. It's a revelation.

Jay

[eppur_se_muova]

3. Herschel home page ... (link)

http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Herschel/index.html

Too late to rec. :(