3D Model of Orion’s Veil

A 3D model of the Orion Nebula shows Orion’s Veil shell as a bluish gas surrounding the nebula depicted in red and yellow. Researchers using SOFIA found a protrusion in the shell, which could allow gas and dust to escape beyond the shell. Credit: NASA, ESA, Frank Summers (STScI), Greg T. Bacon (STScI), Lisa Frattare (STScI), Zolt G. Levay (STScI), K. Litaker (STScI) Acknowledgment: Axel Mellinger, Robert Gendler, Rogelio B. Andreo

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.