Project News

Seeing Snow in Space

Herschel • July 18th, 2013

Although it might seem counterintuitive, if you get far enough away from a smoldering young star, you can actually find snow lines—frosty regions where gases are able to freeze...

Shining a Light on Cool Pools of Gas in the Galaxy

Herschel • June 11th, 2013

The stuff of stars is not always easy to see. Thanks to the Herschel Space Observatory, invisible pools of gas in our galaxy are being mapped better than before.

Herschel Space Observatory Finds Galaxy Mega Merger

Herschel • May 22nd, 2013

A massive and rare merging of two galaxies has been spotted in images taken by the Herschel space observatory, a European Space Agency mission with important NASA participation.

Milky Way Black Hole Snacks on Hot Gas

Herschel • May 7th, 2013

The supermassive black hole at the core of our Milky Way galaxy is gobbling up hot gas, according to a new study from the Herschel space observatory.

Herschel Completes Its 'Cool' Journey In Space

Herschel • April 29th, 2013

Herschel has produced an intricate view of the remains of a star that died in a stellar explosion a millennium ago. It has provided further proof that the interstellar dust...

Herschel Links Water Around Jupiter to Comet Impact

Herschel • April 23rd, 2013

Astronomers trace water in Jupiter's intermediate atmospheric layer back to the famous Shoemaker-Levy 9 comet impact of 19 years ago.

Astronomers Discover Massive Star Factory in Early Universe

Herschel • April 17th, 2013

Busy-bee galaxy seen churning out stars when our universe was just a baby.

Retired Star Found with Planets and Debris Disk

Herschel • April 9th, 2013

The Herschel Space Observatory has provided the first images of a dust belt - produced by colliding comets or asteroids - orbiting a subgiant star known to host a planetary system

Hunting Massive Stars with Herschel

Herschel • March 28th, 2013

In a new view of a vast star-forming cloud called W3, the Herschel space observatory tells the story of how massive stars are born.

Herschel Discovers Some of the Youngest Stars Ever Seen

Herschel • March 19th, 2013

The 15 newly observed protostars turned up by surprise in a survey of the biggest site of star formation near our solar system, located in the constellation Orion.