Galactic Center

While in New Zealand, SOFIA will observe magnetic fields in our galaxy, the Milky Way, pictured here from a previous study with another SOFIA instrument. Image credit: NASA/SOFIA/JPL-Caltech/ESA/Herschel.

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.