SOFIA s Mirror
Credit & Copyright: Ron Strong
(ARC /
NASA)
Explanation:
The candy-dish appearance of this high-tech
astronomical mirror is striking.
Made of a special glass ceramic material called
Zerodur,
it actually measures 2.7 meters across.
The transparent surface has not yet received a reflective
coating, so the weight-reducing internal
honeycomb structure is visible with
attractive blue and yellow tints provided by a
protective tarp and background lighting.
Recently
unveiled, the telescope mirror is destined to fly on the
Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy
(
SOFIA).
Since
water vapor in Earth's
troposphere tends to block
infrared light,
SOFIA will
operate from a modified
Boeing 747 jetliner
at altitudes above 40,000 feet.
As the largest airborne observatory in the world, SOFIA
will explore a host of cosmic environments
including sites of star
birth and
death, the formation of distant solar
systems, and black holes in active
galaxies.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
