The Herschel Space Telescope - Europe's new window into the infrared Universe

The Herschel Space Observatory, launched in May 2009 by the European
Space Agency, has already produced spectacular first results in its
key science programme. I will summarize the mission and its current
status, and I will illustrate Herschel's large potential for exciting
new science by presenting important (and beautiful) examples of
Herschel's first results in many fields of modern astronomy.