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Transcript 
Astro4Girls
Sunnyvale Library
Mar 20, 2012
What is Infrared light?
Light itself is made up of lots of different “colors”.
Raindrops and prisms pull those colors “apart”.
But … there is more light that we can’t see,
both here ……………….. and here
EVERYTHING THAT OUR EYES SEE IS WITHIN THIS SMALL WAVELENGTH RANGE!
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION SPECTRUM
DIFFERENT WAVELENGTHS CAUSE DIFFERENT “COLORS”
OR TYPES OF “LIGHT”!
Why Infrared Astronomy?
Infrared observations probe temperature differences within
otherwise fairly cool things
WHY INFRARED ASTRONOMY?
Page 7
Different wavelengths give unique information:
At visible l’s, the star forming region appears as a dark nebula, heavily
obscured by interstellar dust.
At near-infrared l’s, the dust is nearly transparent, revealing the
dust-enshrouded stars in their formation phase
Mid and far-IR observations trace dust emission
Texas Christian University
March 5, 2010
Visible
Near Infrared
Mid-Infrared
Spectroscopy: another
kind of picture-taking
Spectroscopy is like taking a picture of the light
from something, spreading into a rainbow and
recording that rainbow. Infrared spectroscopy is
just imaging the infrared rainbow of an object
Infrared spectrum is filled with lines created by molecules 
measurement of the strengths of these lines provides
information regarding the temperature and composition.
Page 11
The Earth’s atmosphere is full of water
The stratosphere’s “temperature
inversion” minimizes air turbulence,
giving SOFIA:
SOFIA
(1) a smooth ride,
… and …
(2) a nearly water-free environment
Page 12
http://www.geologywales.co.uk/storms/index.htm
Water in the atmosphere is
BAD for infrared observations
SOFIA FLIES HIGH, WHERE THE INFRARED LIGHT IS!
Page 13
Brightness
MOBILITY!
Time
Pluto occultation light curve observed on
SOFIA on June 23, 2011
Motion of Occulting Object
Shadow of
Occulting Object
Earth
Occultation Astronomy with SOFIA
Example of a Flight Path
Page 16
http://www.astropix.com
AN INSIDE LOOK …
Page 17
HOW SOFIA WORKS
(But first, let’s get
oriented!)
Secondary Mirror
Pressure
PRESSUREBulkhead
BULKHEAD
Spherical Hydraulic Bearing
Light Tube
SCIENCE
INSTRUMENT
Infrared Light Mirror
Visible Light Mirror
Primary
Mirror
PRIMARY
MIRROR
HOW SOFIA WORKS
Incoming Infrared Light
Secondary Mirror
Pressure Bulkhead
Spherical Hydraulic Bearing
Light Tube
Infrared
Instrument
Infrared Light Mirror
Visible Light Mirror
Primary Mirror
Visible Light
Camera
Page 20
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