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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This is a wide-field image of the Milky Way stretching across the southern sky.
NGC 3603 is located in the Carina spiral arm of the Milky Way, about 20 000 light-years from the Solar System.
The Carina Nebula (NGC 3372) appears to the right in the image, glowing in red. At the centre of the image is the constellation of the Southern Cross. The bright yellow-white star at the left of the image is Alpha Centauri, a system of three stars, at a distance of about 4.4 light-years from Earth.