Herschel Space Observatory Log of Observations, 2009-2013

The Herschel Space Observatory log details observations from the European Space Agency's mission, which operated from May 2009 to April 2013. It includes data from three instruments (PACS, SPIRE, HIFI) covering the far-infrared and sub-millimeter spectral range (55-671 microns). The log contains information on 241 Open Time programs from OT1, totaling 6576.9 hours, and 42 Key Programs.

Use Cases

• Analyze observation program allocation and time usage based on the detailed OT1 and OT2 program counts and hours.
• Study instrument utilization patterns based on the descriptions of PACS, SPIRE, and HIFI capabilities.
• Correlate observation requests (AORs) with scientific targets based on the log's record of 11,650 AORs.
• Investigate the temporal distribution of observations based on the mission's operational timeframe from 2009 to 2013.

Strengths

• Provides specific operational dates (May 2009 to April 2013) and instrument spectral ranges (55-671 microns).
• Includes quantified program statistics: 241 OT1 programs, 6576.9 hours, and 42 Key Programs.
• Documents detailed technical specifications for three distinct scientific instruments.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

European Space Agency (ESA) project, hosted by NASA.

Collection Method

Log of observations from the Herschel Space Observatory mission.

Time Range

2009-05 to 2013-04

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 19:08:22.739965; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Space-based observations; celestial targets.