EARLY SCIENCE WITH SOFIA, THE STRATOSPHERIC OBSERVATORY FOR INFRARED ASTRONOMY

The Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) is an airborne observatory consisting of a specially modified Boeing 747SP with a 2.7 m telescope, flying at altitudes as high as 13.7 km (45,000 ft). Designed to observe at wavelengths from 0.3 mu m to 1.6 mm, SOFIA operates above 99.8% o...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Astrophysical journal. Letters 2012-04, Vol.749 (2), p.1-5
Main Authors: Young, E T, Becklin, E E, Marcum, P M, Roellig, T L, DE BUIZER, J M, Herter, T L, Gusten, R, Dunham, E W, Temi, P, Andersson, B-G
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Airborne observation
Altitude
ASTRONOMY
ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY
CAMERAS
ECLIPSE
Flight
HETERODYNE RECEIVERS
Infrared astronomy
INFRARED SPECTRA
INFRARED SPECTROMETERS
Occultation
PHOTOMETERS
PHOTOMETRY
Spectrometers
TELESCOPES
WATER VAPOR
WAVELENGTHS
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Summary:The Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) is an airborne observatory consisting of a specially modified Boeing 747SP with a 2.7 m telescope, flying at altitudes as high as 13.7 km (45,000 ft). Designed to observe at wavelengths from 0.3 mu m to 1.6 mm, SOFIA operates above 99.8% of the water vapor that obscures much of the infrared and submillimeter. SOFIA has seven science instruments under development, including an occultation photometer, near-, mid-, and far-infrared cameras, infrared spectrometers, and heterodyne receivers. SOFIA, a joint project between NASA and the German Aerospace Center Deutsches Zentrum fur Luft und-Raumfahrt, began initial science flights in 2010 December, and has conducted 30 science flights in the subsequent year. During this early science period three instruments have flown: the mid-infrared camera FORCAST, the heterodyne spectrometer GREAT, and the occultation photometer HIPO. This Letter provides an overview of the observatory and its early performance.
ISSN:2041-8205
2041-8213
DOI:10.1088/2041-8205/749/2/L17