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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The Herschel space observatory is shown here in monochrome and negative against a backdrop of stars, the latter streaked by the telescope tracking the motion of the observatory as it drifts away from its position at Lagrange Point 2 into orbit around the Sun.
The image was taken on 27 June 2013 with the 2 m Faulkes Telescope North on Haleakala, Hawaii using a Bessel R' band filter, and is a combination of seven 120-second exposures.
The Faulkes Telescopes are operated by the Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network.