articleAstronomy and AstrophysicsJul 1, 2010BRONZE OA

Herschel Space Observatory

GPG. PilbrattJRJ. R. RiedingerTPThomas PassvogelGCG. CroneDDDominic Doyle

European Space Research and Technology Centre · European Space Astronomy Centre · +2 more institutions

Indexed incrossrefdoaj

Abstract

Herschel was launched on 14 May 2009, and is now an operational ESA space observatory offering unprecedented observational capabilities in the far-infrared and submillimetre spectral range 55–671 μm. Herschel carries a 3.5 m diameter passively cooled Cassegrain telescope, which is the largest of its kind and utilises a novel silicon carbide technology. The science payload comprises three instruments: two direct detection cameras/medium resolution spectrometers, PACS and SPIRE, and a very high-resolution heterodyne spectrometer, HIFI, whose focal plane units are housed inside a superfluid helium cryostat. Herschel is an observatory facility operated in partnership among ESA, the instrument consortia, and NASA.…

Citation impact

2,962
total citations
FWCI
197.42
Percentile
100%
References
12
Citations per year

Authors

11

Topics & keywords

Topics
Keywords
  • Cryostat
  • Observatory
  • Physics
  • Spectrometer
  • Cassegrain reflector
  • Payload (computing)
  • Spire (mollusc)
  • Infrared astronomy
No related works found for this paper.

Funding