Project News

NASA Team Probes Peculiar Age-Defying Star

Herschel • Feature • August 29th, 2016

For years, astronomers have puzzled over a massive star lodged deep in the Milky Way that shows conflicting signs of being extremely old and extremely young. Researchers initially classified the star as elderly, perhaps a red supergiant. But a new study by a NASA-led team of researchers suggests...

New Herschel Maps and Catalogues Reveal Stellar Nurseries Across the Galactic Plane

Herschel • News Release • April 22nd, 2016

ESA's Herschel mission releases today a series of unprecedented maps of star-forming hubs in the plane of our Milky Way galaxy. This is accompanied by a set of catalogues listing hundreds of thousands of compact sources that span all phases leading to the birth of stars in our Galaxy.

Herschel and Planck Honored with Space Systems Award

Herschel • Feature • September 3rd, 2015

The Herschel and Planck project teams are this year's recipients of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Space Systems Award.

Our Sun Came Late to the Milky Way's Star-Birth Party

Herschel • Feature • April 9th, 2015

Our Sun missed the stellar "baby boom" that erupted in our young Milky Way galaxy 10 billion years ago. During that time the Milky Way was churning out stars 30 times faster than it does today. Our galaxy was ablaze with a firestorm of star birth as its rich reservoir of hydrogen gas compressed...

A Gold Mine of Galaxy Nuggets

Herschel • Feature • March 31st, 2015

Astronomers mine data from the Planck and Herschel missions to find a treasure chest of galaxy clusters.

Suzaku, Herschel Link a Black Hole 'Wind' to a Galactic Gush of Star-forming Gas

Herschel • News Release • March 25th, 2015

By combining observations from the Japan-led Suzaku X-ray satellite and the European Space Agency's infrared Herschel Space Observatory, scientists have connected a fierce "wind" produced near a galaxy's monster black hole to an outward torrent of cold gas a thousand light-years across.

Herschel’s view of the early Universe reveals galaxy cluster fireworks

Herschel • News Release • December 18th, 2014

Astronomers using ESA’s Herschel space observatory have found, for the first time, fireworks of star birth within galaxies at the dense core of a massive early Universe galaxy cluster. This frenzy of star formation reveals the young lives of now “red and dead” elliptical galaxies and gives new...

Warm Gas Pours 'Cold Water' on Galaxy's Star-Making

Herschel • Feature • December 5th, 2014

One galaxy devoured remnants of another galaxy, quenching the formation of new stars.

Slow-Growing Galaxies Offer Window to Early Universe

Herschel • Feature • October 15th, 2014

What makes one rose bush blossom with flowers, while another remains barren? Astronomers ask a similar question of galaxies, wondering how some flourish with star formation and others barely bloom.

NASA Telescopes Uncover Early Construction of Giant Galaxy

Herschel • News Release • August 27th, 2014

Astronomers have for the first time caught a glimpse of the earliest stages of massive galaxy construction. The building site, dubbed "Sparky," is a dense galactic core blazing with the light of millions of newborn stars that are forming at a ferocious rate.

NASA Team Probes Peculiar Age-Defying Star

Herschel • August 29th, 2016

For years, astronomers have puzzled over a massive star lodged deep in the Milky Way that shows conflicting signs of being extremely old and extremely young. Researchers...

New Herschel Maps and Catalogues Reveal Stellar Nurseries Across the Galactic Plane

Herschel • April 22nd, 2016

ESA's Herschel mission releases today a series of unprecedented maps of star-forming hubs in the plane of our Milky Way galaxy. This is accompanied by a set of catalogues...

Herschel and Planck Honored with Space Systems Award

Herschel • September 3rd, 2015

The Herschel and Planck project teams are this year's recipients of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Space Systems Award.

Our Sun Came Late to the Milky Way's Star-Birth Party

Herschel • April 9th, 2015

Our Sun missed the stellar "baby boom" that erupted in our young Milky Way galaxy 10 billion years ago. During that time the Milky Way was churning out stars 30 times faster...

A Gold Mine of Galaxy Nuggets

Herschel • March 31st, 2015

Astronomers mine data from the Planck and Herschel missions to find a treasure chest of galaxy clusters.

Suzaku, Herschel Link a Black Hole 'Wind' to a Galactic Gush of Star-forming Gas

Herschel • March 25th, 2015

By combining observations from the Japan-led Suzaku X-ray satellite and the European Space Agency's infrared Herschel Space Observatory, scientists have connected a fierce...

Herschel’s view of the early Universe reveals galaxy cluster fireworks

Herschel • December 18th, 2014

Astronomers using ESA’s Herschel space observatory have found, for the first time, fireworks of star birth within galaxies at the dense core of a massive early Universe galaxy...

Warm Gas Pours 'Cold Water' on Galaxy's Star-Making

Herschel • December 5th, 2014

One galaxy devoured remnants of another galaxy, quenching the formation of new stars.

Slow-Growing Galaxies Offer Window to Early Universe

Herschel • October 15th, 2014

What makes one rose bush blossom with flowers, while another remains barren? Astronomers ask a similar question of galaxies, wondering how some flourish with star formation and...

NASA Telescopes Uncover Early Construction of Giant Galaxy

Herschel • August 27th, 2014

Astronomers have for the first time caught a glimpse of the earliest stages of massive galaxy construction. The building site, dubbed "Sparky," is a dense galactic core blazing...