NGC 1097

Gas streams outside and within the starburst ring (colorscale) of the spiral galaxy NGC 1097 follow the magnetic field, feeding the supermassive black hole with matter from the galaxy. Credit: NGC 1097: ESO/Prieto et al. (colorscale)

SOFIA, the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, was a Boeing 747SP aircraft modified to carry a 2.7-meter (106-inch) reflecting telescope (with an effective diameter of 2.5 meters or 100 inches). Flying into the stratosphere at 38,000-45,000 feet put SOFIA above 99 percent of Earth’s infrared-blocking atmosphere, allowing astronomers to study the solar system and beyond in ways that are not possible with ground-based telescopes. SOFIA was a joint project of NASA and the German Space Agency at DLR.