Dana Backman, the Outreach Director for SOFIA – The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy – has given an interview with Lab out loud about the project. (D
ana, together with Larry Caroff, also happen to be my teachers of the astronomy and cosmology classes at Stanford Continuing Studies program). SOFIA is a modified 747 with a telescope on board. The airborne observatory will fly at high altitudes to look at the infrared radiation coming from all kinds of heavenly bodies. The infrared light is blocked by Earth’s atmosphere but at high altitudes about 80% of it makes it through. That’s where the telescope will operate. Here is the podcast.
Tags: Astronomy, Dana Backman, SOFIA, Space