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    SOFIA Studies

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    Iranian Spotters
    The SOFIA observatory studies astronomy using a Boeing 747SP aircraft modified to carry a 2.7 meter telescope. It observes in infrared wavelengths between 0.3 and 1600 microns, including wavelengths not observable from the ground. SOFIA studies topics like planets, comets, astrochemistry, planetary nebulae, the galactic center, supernovae, and star formation. Its instrument suite includes cameras and spectrometers to obtain images and spectra. SOFIA provides a unique capability to study astronomical phenomena invisible from the ground.

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    SOFIA Studies

    Uploaded by

    Iranian Spotters
    11 views2 pages
    The SOFIA observatory studies astronomy using a Boeing 747SP aircraft modified to carry a 2.7 meter telescope. It observes in infrared wavelengths between 0.3 and 1600 microns, including wavelengths not observable from the ground. SOFIA studies topics like planets, comets, astrochemistry, planetary nebulae, the galactic center, supernovae, and star formation. Its instrument suite includes cameras and spectrometers to obtain images and spectra. SOFIA provides a unique capability to study astronomical phenomena invisible from the ground.

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    The SOFIA observatory studies astronomy using a Boeing 747SP aircraft modified to carry a 2.7 meter telescope. It observes in infrared wavelengths between 0.3 and 1600 microns, including wavelengths not observable from the ground. SOFIA studies topics like planets, comets, astrochemistry, planetary nebulae, the galactic center, supernovae, and star formation. Its instrument suite includes cameras and spectrometers to obtain images and spectra. SOFIA provides a unique capability to study astronomical phenomena invisible from the ground.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    11 views2 pages

    SOFIA Studies

    Uploaded by

    Iranian Spotters
    The SOFIA observatory studies astronomy using a Boeing 747SP aircraft modified to carry a 2.7 meter telescope. It observes in infrared wavelengths between 0.3 and 1600 microns, including wavelengths not observable from the ground. SOFIA studies topics like planets, comets, astrochemistry, planetary nebulae, the galactic center, supernovae, and star formation. Its instrument suite includes cameras and spectrometers to obtain images and spectra. SOFIA provides a unique capability to study astronomical phenomena invisible from the ground.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 2

    1. PLANETS 2. COMETS 3. ASTROCHEMISTRY 4.

    PLANETARY NEBULAE

    SOFIA
    The SOFIA observatory studies astronomical observations at wavelengths between 0.3 and
    1,600 microns. SOFIA’s ability to study mid- and far-infrared wavelengths (28–320 microns)
    provides data that cannot be obtained by any other current astronomical facility on the
    ground or in space, including those now under development.

    Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy

    STUDIES
    5. GALACTIC CENTER 6. SUPERNOVAE 7. STAR FORMATION INSTRUMENT SUITE
    EXES • spectrometer • 4.5–28.3 microns

    FIFI-LS • spectrometer • 51–203 microns

    FORCAST • mid-IR camera • 5–40 microns

    FPI+ • imaging photometer • 0.36–1.1 microns

    GREAT • far -IR spectrometer • 63–612 microns

    HAWC+ • far -IR camera/ imaging polarimeter


    • 50–240 microns
    1. PLANETS 2. COMETS 3. ASTROCHEMISTRY 4. PLANETARY NEBULAE
    Infrared image of Jupiter from SOFIA’s Images of Comet ISON were obtained SOFIA can identify spectral fingerprints SOFIA mid-infrared image of the plan-
    First Light flight composed of indi- using the FORCAST camera at wave- of the processes creating the universe’s etary nebula Minkowski 2-9 (M2-9),
    vidual images at wavelengths of 5.4 lengths of 11, 20, and 32 microns. water at wavelengths inaccessible to any also known as the Butterfly Nebula. The
    (blue), 24 (green) and 37 microns Measurements at 32 microns, shown other observatory. A deep “trough” in nebula is composed of two lobes of
    (red) made by the FORCAST camera. here, crucial for determining the spectral brightness observed at a fre- gas and dust expelled from a dying star
    Ground-based infrared observations temperature and other characteristics quency of 1391.5 gigahertz (wavelength with about twice the mass of our Sun
    are impossible at 5.4 and 37 microns of the comet’s material, cannot be of 215.6 microns) with SOFIA’s GREAT that is seen at the center of the lobes.
    and normally very difficult at 24 made using ground-based telescopes. spectrometer indicates abundant deu- The SOFIA image shows mostly solid
    microns even from high mountaintop In these images, the comet’s tail and terated hydroxyl (OD) molecules in the grains condensing in the gas, and was
    observatories, such as Mauna Kea, resulting dust trail points to the upper interstellar material between Earth and a made at mid-infrared wavelengths of
    due to absorption by water and other right of the photo (images smoothed protostar at the position indicated by the 20, 24, and 37 microns. The 37-micron
    molecules in Earth’s atmosphere. The slightly during processing). arrow. Exactly how hydrogen and oxygen wavelength band detects the stron-
    white stripe in the infrared image is a atoms “find each other” and bond to gest emissions from the nebula and is
    region of relatively transparent clouds produce water molecules in the extreme impossible to observe from ground-
    through which the warm interior of environment of space is surprisingly based telescopes.
    Jupiter can be seen. complicated and requires further study.

    5. GALACTIC CENTER 6. SUPERNOVAE 7. STAR FORMATION


    Researchers using SOFIA captured new The central portion of Messier 82 (M82) Researchers using SOFIA’s FORCAST
    images of a ring of gas and dust seven includes supernova 2014J in this image camera have captured images of a
    light-years in diameter surrounding the made by the FLITECAM instrument (first recently born cluster of massive stars FOLLOW US:
    supermassive black hole at the center generation, retired) at wavelengths of named W3A. The cluster is 6,400 light
    of the Milky Way, and of a neighboring 1.2, 1.65, and 2.2 microns. (North is at years from Earth and is seen lurking
    cluster of extremely luminous young the top, east to the left.) Supernovae in the depths of the large gas and
    stars embedded in dust cocoons. are relevant to life on Earth; most of the dust cloud from which it formed. The
    The SOFIA mid-infrared image of the atoms in the universe more massive energetic radiation and strong winds @SOFIATelescope
    Milky Way Galaxy’s nucleus shows than iron (such as iodine, nickel, lead, from these stars will eventually shred
    the Circumnuclear Ring (CNR) of gas gold, silver, and platinum) are made dur- and disperse their birth cloud, possibly
    and dust clouds orbiting a central ing supernova explosions. triggering the formation of more stars
    supermassive black hole. The bright in adjacent clouds. Astronomers using
    Y-shaped feature is understood to be SOFIA aim to better understand the YouTube
    material falling from the ring toward effects the largest stars in the cloud youtube.com/user/SOFIAObservatory
    the black hole that is located where the have on their smaller siblings and on
    arms of the “Y” intersect. the cycle of star birth.

    1. NASA/SOFIA/USRA/FORCAST Team/James De Buizer; 2. NASA/Jim DeBuizer/Diane Wooden; 3. Background image: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Spitzer; Spectrum:
    NASA/SOFIA/ MPIfR/Parise, et al.; 4. NASA/DLR/USRA/DSI/FORCAST Team/M. Werner, et al./A. Helton, J. Rho; 5. NASA/DLR/USRA/DSI/FORCAST Team/Lau, et al.;
    6. NASA/SOFIA/FLITECAM team/S. Shenoy; 7. NASA / DLR / USRA / DSI / FORCAST team / F. Salgado, A. Tielens, J. De Buizer.

    SOFIA is a joint project of NASA and the German Aerospace Center (DLR). NASA Ames Research Center at Moffett Field, California,
    manages SOFIA’s science and mission operations in cooperation with the Universities Space Research Association (USRA) headquartered in www.sofia.usra.edu
    Columbia, Maryland, and the German SOFIA Institute (DSI) at the University of Stuttgart. The observatory is maintained by NASA Armstrong
    Flight Research Center and based at the center’s Palmdale, California, facility. www.nasa.gov/SOFIA SOF-1801-5K

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