Talk:Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy

What's up with the image widths?

Check the two images of the SOFIA aircraft on the top right. Both are thumbs set at 280px, yet the image on the top is less wider than the one below it. I want both to be of the same width. Can any of you see what is wrong?--PremKudva^Talk 06:57, 21 November 2006 (UTC)

Unconfirmed statement

I removed the following statement from the article because I don't see any means to bring it into compliance with Wikipedia:Citing sources.

The first school children to see it were students from Waco Montessori School.

I could not find any source that would corroborate this assertion. It may well be true, but without a reference we can't be sure.—RJH (talk) 19:19, 30 October 2008 (UTC)

You were right, there is no way to verify it, and additionally that information is not important to the article. I mean what next, a visit from retirees from a nearby home?--PremKudva^Talk 03:36, 31 October 2008 (UTC)

Change image for SOFIA

Hi I am waiting to be an autoconfirmed user, but until then I would like to add images to the SOFIA Observatory. I am the Outreach Coordinator here and have authorization to the entire SOFIA photo archives. Can someone help me upload the image or does someone know who I can talk to? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Dar mendoza (talk • contribs) 18:45, 8 June 2011 (UTC)

Outdated

It looks like some parts of the article are still at the status of 2014/2015. SOFIA is working now. --mfb (talk) 15:35, 27 July 2017 (UTC)

get the aircraft modifier right

E-Systems (Greenville TX) was NOT the aircraft modifier of SOFIA. The competed for the job, and lost. The winning bidder was Chrysler Technologies (CTAS) of Waco TX. CTAS was later bought Raytheon, and eventually by L3 Technologies. As it turned out, E-Systems was also bought by Raytheon. But the aircraft modification was done in Waco by CTAS, not E-Systems in Greenville. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.253.74.142 (talk) 13:27, 25 March 2019 (UTC)

SOFIA Science Updates

I’d love to see some updates to describe SOFIA’s latest science! A few highlights that I think seem noteworthy:

1. SOFIA found that magnetic fields may be key to black hole activity, feeding the active black hole in the distant Cygnus A Galaxy (https://www.nasa.gov/feature/magnetic-fields-may-be-the-key-to-black-hole-activity) but keeping the Milky Way Galaxy’s black hole quiet (https://www.nasa.gov/feature/magnetic-field-may-be-keeping-milky-way-s-black-hole-quiet ).

2. SOFIA made the first detection of the universe’s first type of molecule, called helium hydride. Scientists believe that around 100,000 years after the big bang, helium and hydrogen combined to make a helium hydride molecule. Even though the universe has since evolved, this type of molecule should be present in some parts of the modern universe, but it had never been detected until SOFIA found it in a planetary nebula, a remnant of what was once a Sun-like star. Located 3,000 light-years away near the constellation Cygnus, this planetary nebula, called NGC 7027, has conditions that allow this mystery molecule to form. The discov3er shows that helium hydride can, in fact, exist in space (https://www.nasa.gov/feature/the-universe-s-first-type-of-molecule-is-found-at-last/).

3. SOFIA examined M82, also called the Cigar Galaxy, which is known for its strong winds and for making a vast number of new stars. It discovered that the galactic wind pulls the magnetic field into alignment with it. This wind blows galactic material out of the galaxy into the intergalactic medium, and the magnetic field aligned by this wind may be the dominant source for the intergalactic magnetic field (https://www.nasa.gov/feature/weighing-galactic-wind-provides-clues-to-evolution-of-galaxies).

4. SOFIA mapped the magnetic field in Orion. It saw that magnetic fields do influence star formation, helping to explain why the rate of star formation is lower than what one might expect from gravity (https://www.nasa.gov/feature/sofia-uncovers-clues-to-the-evolution-of-universe-and-search-for-life). It also found that the stellar wind from a newborn star may contribute to the lower rates of star formation by blowing away the seed material for new stars, a process astronomers call “feedback.” (https://www.nasa.gov/feature/lifting-the-veil-on-star-formation-in-the-orion-nebula).

5. SOFIA observed Supernova 1987A and found that cosmic dust (a building block for stars and planets) grew or reformed after the explosion, rather than being almost entirely obliterated as expected. This helps explain why there’s more dust observed in the universe than predicted (https://www.nasa.gov/feature/sofia-finds-dust-survives-obliteration-in-supernova-1987a).

128.102.241.142 (talk) 21:03, 7 August 2019 (UTC)

A few errors

There are a few errors in the existing text that should be fixed:

1. Facility: “SOFIA is based on a Boeing 747SP wide-body aircraft that has been modified to include a large door in the aft fuselage that can be opened in flight to allow a 2.5 m (8.2 ft) diameter reflecting telescope access to the sky.[2]” The telescope is actually 2.7 m (8.9 ft) (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/SOFIA/overview/index.html).

2. Facility: “Once ready for use, observing flights were expected to be flown three or four nights a week.” SOFIA is operational and in use, so this should read “Observing flights are conducted three to four nights each week.”

3. Facility: “Originally scheduled to be operational for 20 years, in its tentative budget for the fiscal year 2015[3][4] NASA announced that unless Germany's aerospace center would contribute significantly more than previously agreed upon, the observatory would be grounded by 2015.[5][6][needs update]” This is outdated and should be deleted or updated.

4. The telescope: “SOFIA uses a 2.5 m (8.2 ft) reflector telescope, which has an oversized, 2.7 m (8.9 ft) diameter primary mirror, as is common with most large infrared telescopes.[7]” Again, the telescope is actually 2.7 m (8.9 ft) (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/SOFIA/overview/index.html).

5. The telescope: “The main instruments are the FLITECAM, a near infrared camera covering 1–5 μm; FORCAST, covering the mid-infrared range of 5–40 μm, and HAWC, which spans the far infrared in the range 42–210 μm. The other four instruments include an optical photometer and infrared spectrometers with various spectral ranges.[9] SOFIA's telescope is by far the largest ever to be placed in an aircraft. For each mission one interchangeable science instrument will be attached to the telescope. Two groups of general purpose instruments are available. In addition, an investigator can also design and build a special purpose instrument. On April 17, 2012, two upgrades to HAWC were selected by NASA to increase the field of view with new transition edge sensor bolometer detector arrays and to add the capability of measuring the polarization of dust emission from celestial sources.[10]” The information on SOFIA’s instruments is outdated. The instruments change frequently enough that a more general statement about interchangeable instruments would be more appropriate. Because SOFIA lands after each flight, it has a suite of interchangeable scientific instruments covering mid and far infrared wavelengths of approximately 0.3-1,000 microns. New instruments are developed as technology advances and new science questions arise. (https://www.sofia.usra.edu/science/instruments) (https://www.nasa.gov/ames/image-feature/one-of-a-kind-camera-added-to-sofia/)

6. Quick facts window: “Location Christchurch International Airport.” This is outdated. SOFIA is operated and maintained at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center. The program, science operations, and mission operations are managed at NASA’s AMES Research Center. The location should read NASA AMES Mountain View, CA (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/SOFIA/overview/index.html).

7. Airborne Astronomy Ambassadors Program (AAA): In 2018, NASA awarded management of the AAA program to the SETI Institute as part of a new strategic approach for science education programs and activities (https://seti.org/seti-educators/airborne-astronomy-ambassadors-program). This might be worth adding.

128.102.241.142 (talk) 21:13, 7 August 2019 (UTC)