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 image presents the Helix Nebula first at optical wavelengths, as seen by the Hubble Space Telescope, then by Herschel’s SPIRE instrument at wavelengths around 250 micrometres. A spectrum is shown for the region identified on the image, showing the clear signature of CO and OH+ emission in the clumpy outer regions of the planetary nebula.
The molecular ion OH+ is needed for the formation of water, and ESA’s Herschel space observatory is the first to detect it in planetary nebulas – the product of dying Sun-like stars.
Full story: New molecules around old stars