For many Harm Habing is "the face" for the Dutch infrared astronomy, and particularly the space research involving the cool universe. For years he was involved in the preparations of the second Dutch satellite: IRAS, the first infrared satellite that made a complete map of the infrared sky.

More information about Harm Habing

Harm Habing started out as a chemist at the University of Groningen, but quickly switched to Physics and Astronomy. 

Habing was the principal inversigator of the IRAS project. IRAS, an infrared satellite, was the first satellite to perform a survey of the entire sky at infrared wavelengths. At the time, IRAS was the biggest satellite ever built in Europe and it was launched on January 26th, 1963. IRAS was active for ten months and in that time IRAS detected disks of dust around stars, new objects which are only visible in infrared, new galaxies, comets and asteroids. 

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