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 image of the Sombrero galaxy or M104 was taken by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope.
The galactic disc shows spiral arms similar to that of the Milky Way. Above and below the disc the galactic halo can be seen clearly. This halo is a sphere which contains fewer stars by volume as compared to the galactic disc.
Ulysses proved that comic rays of galactic origin spend much of their lifetime (about 20 million years) in the galactic halo before they reach the sphere of influence of the Sun, or the heliosphere.