Cygnus X

Composite image of Cygnus X obtained by NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope, with SOFIA’s upGREAT ionized carbon data overlaid in blue, green, and red. The three colors represent material moving at different velocities: -10 to 4 km/s for blue, 4-12 km/s for green, and 12-20 km/s for red. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SOFIA

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.