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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UK astronomer Pete Lawrence took this image of Comet ISON in the early hours of 15 September using a Vixen FL-102S 10 cm APO telescope and a Starlight Express SXV-H9 CCD camera. The camera was exposed for a total time of 40 minutes, comprising 10 x 120 s exposures and 4 x 300 s exposures, with the images stacked together to produce the final result. The streaks in the background are star trails, the apparent motion of stars in the night sky due to the rotation of Earth. North is in the direction of a line drawn from the comet's head towards the upper-left corner of the image.