The Planck-Sylda composite seen receding from Herschel after separation

Animation of images taken by Herschel's Visual Monitoring Camera (VMC) shortly after separation from the Planck-Sylda composite at 15:38 CEST on 14 May 2009. The images show the composite receding behind Herschel; Earth's surface is in the background. The two satellites were travelling at about 10 km/s, 1150 km above the East coast of Africa.

ESA's infrared observatory Herschel and Planck, the Agency's mission to study the Cosmic Microwave Background, lifted off together on an Ariane 5 at 15:12 CEST from ESA's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.