The Hubble European Space Agency Information Centre (HEIC) is a science communication office, established at the Space Telescope - European Coordinating Facility (ST-ECF) in

Munich Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...

, Germany late in 1999. This initiative was taken so as to fulfil the NASA/ESA

Hubble Space Telescope The Hubble Space Telescope (HST or Hubble) is a space telescope that was launched into low Earth orbit in 1990 and remains in operation. It was not the Orbiting Solar Observatory, first space telescope, but it is one of the largest and most ...

(HST) outreach and education tasks for the

European Space Agency The European Space Agency (ESA) is a 23-member International organization, international organization devoted to space exploration. With its headquarters in Paris and a staff of around 2,547 people globally as of 2023, ESA was founded in 1975 ...

(ESA), as outlined in an agreement between

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the federal government of the United States, US federal government responsible for the United States ...

and ESA. Over the past few years HEIC has become a very distinguished communication office of experts using the newest software and techniques. The European Hubble office has produced large amounts of astronomical material suitable both for educational purposes and wider public consumption. HEIC provides a well-assorted archive that is publicly available on its web page. The work is centred on the production of news and photo releases that highlight interesting Hubble science results and images. These are often European in origin, and so not only increase the awareness of ESA's Hubble share (15%), but the contribution of European scientists to the observatory. Furthermore, the group produces video releases, innovative educational material, CD-ROMs, brochures, posters, as well as DVDs and museum information kiosks, and much more. The Hubble Information Centre is headed by the science communication specialist

Lars Lindberg Christensen Lars Lindberg Christensen (born 18 October 1970) is a science communicator and author of a dozen books on astronomy and science communication translated to ten languages. He had a long career with the European Southern Observatory (ESO) and is ...

and the lead graphic designer is

Martin Kornmesser Martin Kornmesser is a graphic designer working at the ESA/NASA Hubble European Space Agency Information Centre (HEIC) in Munich/Garching. He obtained his degree in graphics design in Munich in 1989. Kornmesser has actively pioneered the explora ...

External links

Homepage of the Hubble European Space Agency Information Centre

Space Telescope European Coordinating FacilityESO/ ST-ECF Science Archive
{{authority control Hubble Space Telescope Space technology research institutes