Seeing through the cosmic dust with a flying telescope
In short: How do you see the birth of stars hidden behind thick clouds of space dust? By taking a telescope into the stratosphere. NASA's SOFIA observatory bypasses Earth's atmosphere to capture infrared light that ground-based tools simply cannot reach.
The SOFIA observatory, a highly modified Boeing 747SP, was designed to operate in the stratosphere to overcome the limitations of ground-based astronomy. The plane attains a height of 39,000 to 45,000 feet, placing it over upwards of 99 percent of the world's atmospheric moisture. This specific altitude is crucial because it allows the telescope to capture infrared wavelengths that would otherwise be absorbed or distorted by the moisture and gases surrounding our planet.
During its debut science flights in late 2010, the observatory carried the Cornell-built FORCAST infrared camera. This instrument operates at wavelengths of 5 to 40 microns, providing a multicolor view of regions obscured in optical wavelengths. The team targeted several high-interest areas, including the Orion nebula, the S140 region within our galaxy, and the distant starburst galaxy M82. These observations allowed scientists to peer through dense dust to witness the evolution of young stars.
One of the primary scientific goals of these flights was to detect the spectral signature of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). These are organic compounds that only exist and are detectable under specific conditions. By observing how these compounds appear and are excited around nascent stars, researchers can piece together how these systems evolve. Additionally, the mission targeted protoplanetary discs, known as proplyds, which orbit very young stars and provide vital clues about the formation of our own solar system.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: SOFIA Observatory Completes First Science Flight
- Also: SOFIA airborne observatory's debut science flight exceeds expectations | Cornell Chronicle
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