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If transmission not very good (may not send pictures), please, go to msn.msnbc.com (scroll down to MORE NEWS icon and them pick science and technology icon for Herschel's first pictures.
Text is below.
updated 2:36 p.m. ET July 10, 2009
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Space
Herschel telescope snaps its first pictures
Observations reveal water and carbon as well as dozens of distant galaxies
ESA and the PACS Consortium
A three-color far-infrared image shows M51, the Whirlpool Galaxy. The glowing light comes from clouds of dust and gas around and between the stars. These clouds are a reservoir of the raw material for star formation.
Space.com
The European Space Agency's Herschel telescope is up and running, with its first observations revealing water and carbon as well as dozens of distant galaxies.
The new space telescope, which launched on May 14 with its sibling Planck, has now carried out its first test observations with all of its instruments.
Herschel is the largest, most powerful infrared telescope ever launched into space. Its observations in the far-infrared to sub-millimeter wavelengths of light will allow astronomers to study some of the coldest objects in space, not visible in other wavelengths.
Herschel took a "sneak preview" image of the distant galaxy M51 in June in an early attempt to demonstrate that its camera eye works. In particular, scientists wanted to be sure the telescope is focused and correctly aligned with the science instruments
While Herschel was making its test observations, Planck cooled its instruments down to their operational temperature of minus 459.49 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 273.05 Celsius). This temperature is just 0.1 Celsius above absolute zero, the coldest temperature theoretically possible in our universe.
On June 24, Herschel's Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver (SPIRE) was trained on two galaxies for its first look at the Universe. The galaxies showed up prominently, providing astronomers with their best images yet at these wavelengths, and revealing other, more distant galaxies in the background of the images.
The pictures show galaxies M66 and M74 at a wavelength of 250 microns, longer than any previous infrared space observatory, but still the shortest SPIRE wavelength.
SPIRE is designed to look at star formation in our own Milky Way galaxy and in nearby galaxies, but it will also search for star-forming galaxies in the very distant universe.
"These quick first light observations have produced dramatic results when we consider that they were made on day one," said SPIRE Principal Investigator Matt Griffin of Cardiff University of Wales.
Scientists used Herschel's Heterodyne Instrument for the Far-Infrared (HIFI) on June 22 to look for warm molecular gas heated by newborn massive stars in the DR21 star-forming region in the constellation Cygnus, or the Swan.
It works by zooming in on specific wavelengths, revealing the spectral fingerprints of atoms and molecules and even the physical conditions of the object observed. This makes it a powerful tool to study the role of gas and dust in the formation of stars and planets and the evolution of galaxies.
Herschel observed ionized carbon, carbon monoxide, and water in DR21.
The first observation with Herschel's Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS) instrument was carried out on June 23. It targeted a dying star known as the Cat's Eye Nebula. Discovered by William Herschel in 1786, this nebula consists of a complex shell of gas thrown off by a dying star.
With the PACS spectrometer it is possible for the first time to take images in spectral lines and see how the wind from the star shapes the nebula in three dimensions.
Following these images, Herschel is now in the performance verification phase, where the instruments will be further tested and calibrated. This phase will last until the end of November, after which the mission will begin its routine science phase.
? 2009 Space.com. All rights reserved. More from Space.com.
More from Space- Shuttle launch delayed due to lightning
- Couple in astronaut assault case plan to marry
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If transmission not very good (may not send pictures), please, go to msn.msnbc.com (scroll down to MORE NEWS icon and them pick science and technology icon for Herschel's first pictures.
Text is below.
updated 2:36 p.m. ET July 10, 2009
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Space
Herschel telescope snaps its first pictures
Observations reveal water and carbon as well as dozens of distant galaxies
ESA and the PACS Consortium
A three-color far-infrared image shows M51, the Whirlpool Galaxy. The glowing light comes from clouds of dust and gas around and between the stars. These clouds are a reservoir of the raw material for star formation.
Space.com
The European Space Agency's Herschel telescope is up and running, with its first observations revealing water and carbon as well as dozens of distant galaxies.
The new space telescope, which launched on May 14 with its sibling Planck, has now carried out its first test observations with all of its instruments.
Herschel is the largest, most powerful infrared telescope ever launched into space. Its observations in the far-infrared to sub-millimeter wavelengths of light will allow astronomers to study some of the coldest objects in space, not visible in other wavelengths.
Herschel took a "sneak preview" image of the distant galaxy M51 in June in an early attempt to demonstrate that its camera eye works. In particular, scientists wanted to be sure the telescope is focused and correctly aligned with the science instruments
While Herschel was making its test observations, Planck cooled its instruments down to their operational temperature of minus 459.49 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 273.05 Celsius). This temperature is just 0.1 Celsius above absolute zero, the coldest temperature theoretically possible in our universe.
On June 24, Herschel's Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver (SPIRE) was trained on two galaxies for its first look at the Universe. The galaxies showed up prominently, providing astronomers with their best images yet at these wavelengths, and revealing other, more distant galaxies in the background of the images.
The pictures show galaxies M66 and M74 at a wavelength of 250 microns, longer than any previous infrared space observatory, but still the shortest SPIRE wavelength.
SPIRE is designed to look at star formation in our own Milky Way galaxy and in nearby galaxies, but it will also search for star-forming galaxies in the very distant universe.
"These quick first light observations have produced dramatic results when we consider that they were made on day one," said SPIRE Principal Investigator Matt Griffin of Cardiff University of Wales.
Scientists used Herschel's Heterodyne Instrument for the Far-Infrared (HIFI) on June 22 to look for warm molecular gas heated by newborn massive stars in the DR21 star-forming region in the constellation Cygnus, or the Swan.
It works by zooming in on specific wavelengths, revealing the spectral fingerprints of atoms and molecules and even the physical conditions of the object observed. This makes it a powerful tool to study the role of gas and dust in the formation of stars and planets and the evolution of galaxies.
Herschel observed ionized carbon, carbon monoxide, and water in DR21.
The first observation with Herschel's Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS) instrument was carried out on June 23. It targeted a dying star known as the Cat's Eye Nebula. Discovered by William Herschel in 1786, this nebula consists of a complex shell of gas thrown off by a dying star.
With the PACS spectrometer it is possible for the first time to take images in spectral lines and see how the wind from the star shapes the nebula in three dimensions.
Following these images, Herschel is now in the performance verification phase, where the instruments will be further tested and calibrated. This phase will last until the end of November, after which the mission will begin its routine science phase.
? 2009 Space.com. All rights reserved. More from Space.com.
More from Space- Shuttle launch delayed due to lightning
- Couple in astronaut assault case plan to marry
- Hawaii works on space tourism plan
- First stars in universe might have had twins
- Galileo discovered Neptune, new theory claims
1 Top stories 2 Business 3 Sports | Scores 4 U.S. news 5 World news 6 Politics 7 Tech & science 8 Entertainment 9 Health - Travel - - - Nightly News - TODAY - Dateline - Meet the Press - Countdown - Rachel Maddow - - - See news breaking? - Podcasts - Local news - News alerts 0 MSN home*Top # Bottom
MSN Privacy . Legal? 2009 MSNBC.com
From: Clifford livermore
Sent: Friday, July 10, 2009 10:41 PM
To: whac
Subject: [whac] WHAC MEETING AT KECK HEADQUARTERS TUE JULY 14TH
HI TO ALL WHACOS
JUST A REMINDER THIS MONTH WHAC MEETING WILL BE NEXT TUESDAY EVENING AT 7PM AT KECK HEADQUARTERS IN WAIMEA. THE MEETING WILL BE OPEN TO MEMBERS SHARING THEIR EQUIPMENT AND OR TELESCOPES AND COMMENTING ON INTERESTING ASTRONOMY EXPEIRENCES. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE IN THIS EVENT PLEASE LET ME KNOW. I WILL BE TALKING ABOUT SOLAR ECLIPSES AS THIS MONTH ON 22ND THEIR WILL BE A TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE SUN IN CHINA AND THE PACIFIC OCEAN. IT WILL BE THE LONGEST OF THE 21ST CENTURY. I HAVE SOME VIDEO OF THE TRANSIT OF TITIAN ACROSS SATURN TAKEN IN MARCH, OF LAST MONTHS QUARTERLY STAR PARTY AT THE VIS AND OF THE 1991 TOTAL ECLIPSE I ATTENDED WITH TWILIGHT TOURS IN BAJA CALIFORNIA. I HOPE TO SEE MANY OF YOU AT THIS NEXT MEETING.
CLIFF
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