SOFIA Telescope (@sofiatelescope) 's Twitter Profile
SOFIA Telescope

@sofiatelescope

The world's largest flying observatory: a 2.7-meter telescope in a Boeing 747SP. Joint project of @NASA and @DLR_SpaceAgency. Verification: nasa.gov/socialmedia

ID: 16876667

linkhttp://nasa.gov/sofia calendar_today20-10-2008 22:57:21

5,5K Tweet

115,115K Followers

176 Following

NASA Moon (@nasamoon) 's Twitter Profile Photo

In 2020, we announced the confirmation of H2O on the Moon, but we had remaining questions – how does the water behave? How can we access it? A new map of water distribution on the Moon provides hints about how water may be moving across the Moon’s surface. go.nasa.gov/3JkIEJL

In 2020, we announced the confirmation of H2O on the Moon, but we had remaining questions – how does the water behave? How can we access it? A new map of water distribution on the Moon provides hints about how water may be moving across the Moon’s surface. go.nasa.gov/3JkIEJL
SOFIA Telescope (@sofiatelescope) 's Twitter Profile Photo

SOFIA created the first detailed, wide-area map of the Moon’s water! With more water found in cold, shadowy regions — like the sides of craters and mountains — the map provides hints about how water may be moving across the Moon’s surface. More: go.nasa.gov/408usKF

NASA Artemis (@nasaartemis) 's Twitter Profile Photo

Researchers created the first detailed, wide-area map of water distribution on the Moon using data from the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA). The map includes the Lunar South Pole & the future landing spot for our VIPER Moon rover go.nasa.gov/3mXbCrX

SOFIA Telescope (@sofiatelescope) 's Twitter Profile Photo

#DYK In 2010, SOFIA achieved its “first light” — the first time the telescope observed the night sky during flight. It set its sights on two celestial objects: Jupiter and the galaxy Messier 82, also known as the Cigar Galaxy. #MessierMarathon

#DYK In 2010, SOFIA achieved its “first light” — the first time the telescope observed the night sky during flight. It set its sights on two celestial objects: Jupiter and the galaxy Messier 82, also known as the Cigar Galaxy. 

#MessierMarathon
SOFIA Telescope (@sofiatelescope) 's Twitter Profile Photo

The first light flight wasn’t the only time SOFIA gazed at Messier 82! Years later, SOFIA discovered that the magnetic fields in Messier 82 provide a “highway” to channel material out of the galaxy. Read more: go.nasa.gov/3LBind0 #MessierMarathon

The first light flight wasn’t the only time SOFIA gazed at Messier 82! Years later, SOFIA discovered that the magnetic fields in Messier 82 provide a “highway” to channel material out of the galaxy.

Read more: go.nasa.gov/3LBind0

#MessierMarathon
SOFIA Telescope (@sofiatelescope) 's Twitter Profile Photo

SOFIA’s FIFI-LS instrument was efficient at obtaining images and spectroscopic information simultaneously, studying the interstellar medium and star-forming regions in the Milky Way and its nearby galaxies. It also had a special little mascot! Happy #NationalPuppyDay! 🐾

SOFIA’s FIFI-LS instrument was efficient at obtaining images and spectroscopic information simultaneously, studying the interstellar medium and star-forming regions in the Milky Way and its nearby galaxies.

It also had a special little mascot! Happy #NationalPuppyDay! 🐾
SOFIA Telescope (@sofiatelescope) 's Twitter Profile Photo

During SOFIA’s final New Zealand deployment last year, a special citizen science instrument few onboard to observe aurora australis. You can NASA Citizen Science, too! Celebrate #CitizenScienceMonth by checking out some of the projects we can use your help on: go.nasa.gov/3ZOVGp5

During SOFIA’s final New Zealand deployment last year, a special citizen science instrument few onboard to observe aurora australis.

You can <a href="/DoNASAScience/">NASA Citizen Science</a>, too! Celebrate #CitizenScienceMonth by checking out some of the projects we can use your help on: go.nasa.gov/3ZOVGp5
SOFIA Telescope (@sofiatelescope) 's Twitter Profile Photo

Now that SOFIA’s mission has ended, it’s time for our news to take off from somewhere else. This account will stop posting on Friday, May 5. Make sure to follow our friends at NASA Universe for the most up-to-date #SOFIAtelescope stories!

Now that SOFIA’s mission has ended, it’s time for our news to take off from somewhere else. This account will stop posting on Friday, May 5. Make sure to follow our friends at <a href="/NASAUniverse/">NASA Universe</a> for the most up-to-date #SOFIAtelescope stories!
SOFIA Telescope (@sofiatelescope) 's Twitter Profile Photo

#ICYMI We’re closing this account soon. Our last post will be on May 5! After that, NASA Universe will be your place for #SOFIAtelescope news. We hope you'll join us at our new home!

#ICYMI We’re closing this account soon. Our last post will be on May 5! After that, <a href="/NASAUniverse/">NASA Universe</a> will be your place for #SOFIAtelescope news. We hope you'll join us at our new home!
SOFIA Telescope (@sofiatelescope) 's Twitter Profile Photo

We need all wavelengths of light to study black holes! #SOFIAtelescope looked at infrared light, which tells us about the surrounding dust grains & magnetic fields. #BlackHoleWeek will be our last week on this account before joining NASA Universe, so follow along to learn more!

SOFIA Telescope (@sofiatelescope) 's Twitter Profile Photo

Billions of light-years away, SOFIA found a galaxy nestled in a brief window of time when continued star birth and a black hole’s ravenous feeding can coexist, challenging our theories of galactic evolution. More: go.nasa.gov/3ou118F #BlackHoleWeek

Billions of light-years away, SOFIA found a galaxy nestled in a brief window of time when continued star birth and a black hole’s ravenous feeding can coexist, challenging our theories of galactic evolution. 

More: go.nasa.gov/3ou118F 

#BlackHoleWeek
SOFIA Telescope (@sofiatelescope) 's Twitter Profile Photo

At home in the Milky Way, magnetic fields appear to be channeling the gas into an orbit around the black hole, rather than directly into it. This may explain why our galaxy’s black hole is not actively feasting. More: go.nasa.gov/3USPfk1 #BlackHoleWeek

At home in the Milky Way, magnetic fields appear to be channeling the gas into an orbit around the black hole, rather than directly into it. This may explain why our galaxy’s black hole is not actively feasting. 

More: go.nasa.gov/3USPfk1 

#BlackHoleWeek
SOFIA Telescope (@sofiatelescope) 's Twitter Profile Photo

Tatooine may be fictional, but the twisted magnetic fields around binary stellar systems can reveal how Tatooine planets — real-life planets with two suns — come to be. ☀️☀️ More: go.nasa.gov/3LiutXY #StarWarsDay #MayThe4th

Tatooine may be fictional, but the twisted magnetic fields around binary stellar systems can reveal how Tatooine planets — real-life planets with two suns — come to be. ☀️☀️

More: go.nasa.gov/3LiutXY

#StarWarsDay #MayThe4th
SOFIA Telescope (@sofiatelescope) 's Twitter Profile Photo

That's no moon! Or is it...? Hidden in this SOFIA image of Jupiter are its four largest moons: Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. Read about how these satellites snuck into the data: go.nasa.gov/3LhvHTe #StarWarsDay #MayThe4th

That's no moon! Or is it...?

Hidden in this SOFIA image of Jupiter are its four largest moons: Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. 

Read about how these satellites snuck into the data: go.nasa.gov/3LhvHTe

#StarWarsDay #MayThe4th
SOFIA Telescope (@sofiatelescope) 's Twitter Profile Photo

#SOFIAtelescope science is not disappearing into a black hole! It’s joining NASA Universe. This will be our last post on this account, but we still have more science to share. Please follow our friends at NASA Universe to learn about more stories to come! #BlackHoleWeek