From the December 2009 issue

Why can’t the recently launched Herschel Space Telescope produce sharper images than the Spitzer Space Telescope?

Thomas Hofstätter, Vienna, Austria
By | Published: December 28, 2009 | Last updated on May 18, 2023
February 2010 Spitzer Herschel
At matched wavelengths, Herschel’s resolution is much better than Spitzer’s.

In the shortest wavelength bands, Spitzer produces sharper images than Herschel. But when you compare apples with apples, Herschel exceeds Spitzer’s capability.