Friday, 3rd August at 4.00pm @ the JAC
Eric Becklin
Chief Scientist, SOFIA
"Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA)"
ABSTRACT:
The joint U.S. and German SOFIA project to develop and operate a
2.5-meter infrared airborne telescope in a Boeing 747-SP is now in its
final stages of development. Flying in the stratosphere, SOFIA allows
observations throughout the infrared and submillimeter region, with an
average transmission of greater than 80%. SOFIA has a wide instrument
complement including broadband imagers, moderate resolution spectrographs
capable of resolving broad features due to dust and large molecules, and
high resolution spectrometers suitable for kinematic studies of molecular
and atomic gas lines at km/s resolution. These instruments will enable
SOFIA to make unique contributions to a broad array of science topics.
First science flights will begin in 2009, and the observatory is expected
to operate for more than 20 years. The sensitivity, characteristics,
science instrument complement, future instrument opportunities and examples
of first light science will be discussed.
Relevant web site:
SOFIA web page
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