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 close-up view of the active region observed by Proba-2's SWAP instrument on 3 April 2010. Magnetic loops are visibly glowing - filled with cooling plasma (though cooling is a relative phrase - its temperature still exceeds a million degrees) - as the Sun's magnetic field knits itself together again in the flare's immediate aftermath. The area around them is still darkened due to the 'EIT wave' caused by the Sun's surface reacting to the force of the flare.