The European Herschel was launched from French Guiana today
(14th May '09). Its mirror is twice as large as Hubble's.
It will rotate slowly for the next 16 months looking further back in time, using its extremely sensitive long wave infra-red camera.
It will be taking overlapping pictures, until it has covered the whole Universe*
(*Imagine a minature camera taking pictures of the inside of a football, while rotating inside it)
The Herschel telescope uses infra-red radiation, allowing objects to be detected in unprecedented resolution.
Even invisible objects that are cold will be seen, even if they inside, or behind huge dust clouds.
We are living in exciting times.
Last month Kepler telescope was launched, (which has the ability to watch men walking on Mars)
Amazingly today (also the 14th May) two Astronauts are updating the Hubble telescope, with two extra cameras.
One is very wide angle, and the other as big as an upright piano. (not sure what it does)
This Herschel Telescope will actually see further back in time than any optical telescope, and has the ability to find water.
Nobody is quite sure what new discoverys these three telescopes will make.
But I suggest you watch this space for the next 24 months, to find out.
