The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
Find out more about space activities in our 23 Member States, and understand how ESA works together with their national agencies, institutions and organisations.
Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe
Go to topicProtecting life and infrastructure on Earth and in orbit
Go to topicUsing space to benefit citizens and meet future challenges on Earth
Go to topicMaking space accessible and developing the technologies for the future
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The image shows a bow shock around the very young star, LL Ori. It is located in the intense star-forming region known as the Great Nebula in the constellation Orion.
A bow shock can be created in space when two streams of gas collide. LL Ori emits a vigorous stellar wind, a stream of charged particles moving rapidly outward from the star. This stellar wind collides with slow-moving gas evaporating away from the center of the Orion Nebula, which is located to the lower left in this image. The surface where the two winds collide is the crescent-shaped bow shock seen in the image. A second, fainter bow shock can also be seen around a star near the upper left-hand corner of the image.