Context:

• NASA’s flying observatory Sofia is preparing for its 2018 campaign, which will include, among others, observations of celestial magnetic fields, star-forming regions, comets and Saturn’s giant moon Titan.
• This will be the fourth year of full operations for Sofia, short for Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, with observations planned between February 2018 and January 2019.

Significance:

• Scientists believe that the observatory’s investigations will help them understand how magnetic fields affect the rate at which interstellar clouds condense to form new stars.
• These observations could also help them learn whether the luminosity of these active black holes is driven by star formation or accretion of material onto the central black hole.
• Sofia will also conduct observations to better understand how methane levels change with seasons on Mars.
• Sofia is a Boeing 747SP jetliner modified to carry a 100-inch diameter telescope.
• It is a joint project of NASA and the German Aerospace Centre, DLR.
• SOFIA is designed to observe the infrared universe.
• SOFIA studies many different kinds of astronomical objects and phenomena, but some of the most interesting are:
• Star birth and death.
• Formation of new solar systems.
• Identification of complex molecules in space.
• Planets, comets and asteroids in our solar system.
• Nebulae and dust in galaxies (or, Ecosystems of galaxies).
• Black holes at the center of galaxies.

Fodder Points:

• Water vapor blocks infrared light energy and 99% of the world’s water vapor exists below 39,000 feet. So, the higher altitude you fly, the drier it gets and the more optimal it is for infrared observation.

Source:Indian Express