Herschel Telescope opens its eyes

[astroron]

The largest telescope in space opens its cover:eyepop:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8099105.stm

[OneOfOne]

I bet they double checked the mirror before closing the door...a bit far for an optician to make a house call.

[Robh]

Thanks Ron,

Another fantastic scientific and technological achievement.
Let's hope it gets up and running without any hitches.
Who knows what we will discover in the infrared range?

Regards, Rob

[telecasterguru]

Just saw a first light image of M51 in IR taken by the Herschel beside an image taken by the Spitzer and the difference is astonishing.
Check out he image of M51 at herschel.esac.esa.int. This is amazing.

Frank

[Rod66]

Well given the distance it is from earth, there will be no space shuttle lens correction this time..

[astroron]

Over all the telescopes put into space at the L points are cheaper than putting telescopes in low to medium Earth orbits.
They are designed to have a finite shelf life, and once the program it was designed for is finished so are they:( but some still go on to provide information for many years after the main project was finished:)