SOFIA IR Observatory in the Southern Sky

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Baluncore
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Baluncore said:
NASA747 has been flying out of Christchurch, New Zealand since 5th of June 2018. Another 20 flights are planned in this block.
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/sofia-to-study-southern-skies-in-new-zealand

The “Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy”, SOFIA, flies an interesting tracking course. You can follow present and review past flight paths here.
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/NASA747/history/20180613/0758Z/NZCH/NZCH
yeah, tis pretty cool. they do annual observing sessions out of Christchurch.
I photo'ed SOFIA in Christchurch some years ago when I was visiting my kids over there. ( pretty sure I posted a pic on here back them)
Prior to SOFIA, NASA used to fly they Kuiper Boeing 747 out of CHCH on regular missions during the winter months.
Several of my fellow NZ astronomers were able to hitch a ride on various flights ... I am very jealous haha

Dave
 
ahhhh found it :smile:

gosh, 2013, how time flies :wink:

https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/meet-nasa-sofia-aircraft.702221/
Photo of the SOFIA airborne observatory, a modified Boeing 747SP with NASA and DLR logos on its tail, parked on an airport apron under an overcast sky.
 
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  • Photo of the SOFIA airborne observatory, a modified Boeing 747SP with NASA and DLR logos on its tail, parked on an airport apron under an overcast sky.
    attachment-php-attachmentid-60368-stc-1-d-1374318864-jpg.jpg
    32.1 KB · Views: 640
Man ! ... now I'm even more green with envy ... from my FB page
one of my astro mates has scored a flight on SOFIA as well !

Screenshot of a Facebook post showing a flight plan map for the SOFIA observatory, with a flight track and waypoint labels on a grid of coordinates and a take-off date of June 14, 2018.
 
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  • Screenshot of a Facebook post showing a flight plan map for the SOFIA observatory, with a flight track and waypoint labels on a grid of coordinates and a take-off date of June 14, 2018.
    upload_2018-6-15_10-54-59.png
    53.2 KB · Views: 675
Night photo of the Milky Way arching across a dark starry sky above a dark rocky horizon, with a bright glow near the horizon and a small figure in the lower foreground.


Ian Griffin
19 hrs ·
That moment you are sitting in a pre flight briefing for SOFIA and the flight is scrubbed due to clouds tomorrow in Auckland and fog in Christchurch.
Never mind! Trying again tomorrow

Group of people in a conference room seated around a table, several in high-visibility vests, while a projected slide reading SOFIA Mission Brief is shown on a screen at the back.
 
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  • Night photo of the Milky Way arching across a dark starry sky above a dark rocky horizon, with a bright glow near the horizon and a small figure in the lower foreground.
    1610910_10206296219789577_9132354905336928902_n.jpg
    1.1 KB · Views: 609
  • Group of people in a conference room seated around a table, several in high-visibility vests, while a projected slide reading SOFIA Mission Brief is shown on a screen at the back.
    35151714_10216359191717586_718783195260125184_n.jpg
    49.3 KB · Views: 613
The SOFIA IR observatory is on route to Christchurch, New Zealand for this southern winter season.
 
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This week SOFIA will be on display in Stuttgart where around 400 researchers from all over the world come together for a major conference of the Astronomical Society at Stuttgart University, celebrating the centenary of the International Astronomical Union.
The first observation mission over Europe is planned during the week.
 

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