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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7 June 2011 M2.5-class solar flare observed by Proba-2's SWAP instrument. This image has been warped to show the event as it might appear to an observer flying just above the surface of the sun. A massive prominence eruption took place, as a mass of high-energy particles and superheated gas rose up from the Sun’s surface. This gas was relatively cool – about 80 000 K – which explains why it appears quite dark at the extreme ultraviolet wavelength that SWAP observes in.