<![CDATA[Herschel Helpdesk]]> <![CDATA[How can I find a list of available Herschel videotutorials?]]>
A series of legacy videotutorials have been produced, with useful knowledge for current and future users of Herschel data and services. They cover:
  • Herschel data and the Herschel Science Archive.
  • Herschel legacy software.
  • Herschel legacy documentation and legacy documentation catalogues.
  • An overview of Herschel services for legacy users.
  • Herschel data and how to examine it.
  • How to search for specific types of Herschel data in the Herschel Science Archive (e.g. unpublished data, data that has been specially processed by an instrument expert, catalogues of sources, or of spectra, etc.)
  • Data analysis techniques specific to each Herschel instrument (e.g. tricks for carrying out photometry, for analyzing extended sources, for baseline fitting of spectra, for analyzing the spectra of sources that are not perfectly centred on the detector, etc.)
You can find a list of all the short legacy videotutorials, most of which are from 5-10 minutes long, on the Herschel Web Pages at:


The last legacy short videotutorials will be added early in 2019 and, after that, the contents of this list of short videotutorials will be frozen.

There is also a dedicated Herschel YouTube Channel called "Herschel Academy", with many interesting videotutorials on different aspects of data analysis and on the mission in general that were generated through the mission. You can find Herschel Academy at:


Do bear in mind that some of the older videos have, inevitably, become slightly out of date as the software to analyse some observing modes and types of observations was still evolving, even after the end of the mission, although these older videotutorials are still useful as background material. Always check to see if there is a newer video available on the topic that interests you to ensure that you have the most up-to-date information.

]]> <![CDATA[How do I link my Heldesk account to a new e-mail address and what...]]> Helpdesk tickets are linked to your registered e-mail address. This means that the replies will always go to that address until you change it. You can change your e-mail as explained in the following page, under "Edit your user profile":

When you change your e-mail address, all new tickets that you open will be linked to your new e-mail. Old tickets though will continue to be linked to the address with which the ticket was opened, as a ticket cannot be "owned" by two e-mail addresses and thus, by two separate people in the registration system (this is a basic security feature that ensures that your correspondence within Helpdesk can only be seen by you and by HSC personnel). So, if you open a ticket, then change your registered address and try to respond to the ticket again by clicking on the link in the e-mail reply, the system will get confused and refuse you access.

You can still see your tickets and respond to them by entering directly in the user interface with your username and password and, can, if necessary re-submit a ticket using your new credentials to link it to your new e-mail address and continue corresponding.]]> <![CDATA[How do I submit a question to the Herschel Helpdesk]]> To submit a question to the Herschel Helpdesk, you need first to login as a registered user with your username and password. To register with the Herschel User services please click on the "User Services > User Registration" link on the Herschel homepage and follow the appropriate instructions. Specific cases for users already registered with the RSSD LDAP system are addressed in the User Registration webpage.

]]> <![CDATA[HSpot will no longer install/run on my computer: what can I do?]]>
HSpot will now run only on older computers, for example, those running Windows 7 and earlier and very old versions of Mac. In a nutshell, the JRE (Java Runtime Environment) fails to install on many more recent OS/Platform combinations.

However, there is a virtualized version of HSpot that has been prepared that works with almost any OS/Platform combination (save for a few, more exotic Linux Platforms) and that allows proposal retrieval, examination of AORs, etc to be carried out as if with classic HSpot.

In the following Herschel short videotutorial you can find out how to install, configure and run Virtual HSpot on your computer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=910Gj7_IAmg]]> <![CDATA[I cannot login to the Herschel Helpdesk, how can I contact the HS...]]> If for any reason you cannot login to the Herschel Helpdesk and re-setting your password is not possible, or does not work, you can raise a ticket in the Cosmos system, which supports the Herschel Helpdesk infrastructure, without logging in.

Go to https://support.cosmos.esa.int/cosmos/ and describe your issue in as much detail as possible, including the Operating System and browser that you are using. Cosmos will help you to resolve your login issues.

]]> <![CDATA[I have forgotten my password, what should I do?]]> If you have forgotten your password, just follow the link "User services > Lost Password" on the Herschel homepage and follow the appropriate instructions. After entering your username, an e-mail containing detailed instructions on how to reset your password will be sent to your registered e-mail address.

]]> <![CDATA[I sent an e-mail to Helpdesk but it bounced, what should I do?]]>  

Herschel Helpdesk is not configured to accept e-mail. The address hschelp@sciops.esa.int is a no-reply address that only manages Helpdesk traffic. To send a question you must enter https://support.cosmos.esa.int/herschel/ and send the question from your account, logging in with your credentials as a registered Herschel user.

]]> <![CDATA[When does the Herschel Science Centre formally cease supporting H...]]>  

The formal end of Herschel Science Centre support to Herschel activities is 31st December 2017. From then, all support is on a best-efforts basis, although it is expected that there will be a small level of dedicated effort for user support until at least the end of 2018 and, probably, 2019.

]]> <![CDATA[Where can I update my User Profile and registered e-mail address ...]]> If you want to update your User Details registered at the Herschel Science Centre, just follow the indications provided at the Herschel Self Registration web page. There, you will be able to edit your User Details (including your registered e-mail address).

]]> <![CDATA[Why do I not receive replies from Helpdesk?]]>  

Normally the reason is that the e-mail address associated with your profile is no longer valid. You will still be able to see answers if you enter Helpdesk but, logically, the replies sent by e-mail will not arrive. You should update your profile by going to http://www.cosmos.esa.int/web/herschel/registration and change the e-mail associated with your name.

If this does not work, contact Helpdesk and we will investigate the problem.

]]> <![CDATA[Will I still be able to ask a question in Helpdesk after Herschel...]]>  

The Herschel Helpdesk will continue to function after Herschel’s retirement, although, logically, the available support will be more limited than it has been in Operations and post-Operations, so it may on occasion take a little longer to answer questions, particularly if they require a detailed answer.

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