final southPole

The LASP* at RIT’s Center for Imaging Science: 

The LASP* at RIT’s Center for Imaging Science *Laboratory for Astronomy in Strange Places

Telescopes on Mauna Kea: 

Telescopes on Mauna Kea Altitude circa 14,000 ft.

The Kuiper Airborne Observatory: 

The Kuiper Airborne Observatory Altitudes up to 45,000 ft.

Higher is Better: Roots of the LASP: 

Higher is Better: Roots of the LASP CIS’s Director (as grad student!) in action on the Kuiper Airborne Observatory (1970-something)

Why is higher better?: 

Why is higher better?

Why Do Astronomy in the Infrared?: 

Why Do Astronomy in the Infrared? Most of the luminosity of our galaxy and in other galaxies emerges in this wavelength region Low dust extinction at these wavelengths permits unbiased and potentially complete observations of statistically large samples of objects Formation of galaxies in the early universe and the crucial stages of formation and evolution of stars and planets can be best studied in this range of wavelengths Most of the fundamental absorption and emission lines and bands of astrophysically and astrochemically significant molecules occur in the far infrared

M17: Optical Photograph + Far Infrared : 

M17: Optical Photograph + Far Infrared

That was then...: 

That was then... Kuiper Airborne Observatory maps of far-IR emission from the W3 star formation region, 1970-something

This is now...: 

This is now... The W3 star formation region as seen in the near-IR by a modern IR camera

Youngest stars in M17 hidden by dust: 

Youngest stars in M17 hidden by dust

Near-Infrared Imaging:Uncovering the young stars in M17: 

Near-Infrared Imaging: Uncovering the young stars in M17

Constructing a Spatial Mosaic: 

Constructing a Spatial Mosaic

Mosaics obtained at three infrared wavelengths: 

Mosaics obtained at three infrared wavelengths 2.2 microns 1.65 microns 1.25 microns

Result of combining...: 

Result of combining...

Visible Infrared: 

Visible Infrared

Big targets need big detector arrays: 

Big targets need big detector arrays The galactic center region in the near-IR

This image took a long time to make...: 

This image took a long time to make... …because this image of M17 (from late 1980’s) consists of a mosaic of several dozen individual 58x62 frames

But this one was a snap!: 

But this one was a snap! Image of M17 taken in mid-1990’s with a 256x256 near-infrared detector array

The advantages of color: 

The advantages of color

Using a bigger telescope to see detail: 

Using a bigger telescope to see detail

Orion Nebula: 

Orion Nebula

Star formation is inefficient: 

Star formation is inefficient

Image Processing: Separating Stars from Nebula: 

Image Processing: Separating Stars from Nebula

Narrow-band IR imaging:Distinguishing the dust from the gas: 

Narrow-band IR imaging: Distinguishing the dust from the gas Dust emission from M17at 3.3microns Emission from ionized gas at 2.16 microns and 4.05 microns

Colder is also better: 

Colder is also better

Why is colder better?: 

Why is colder better?

Slide27: 

Sky gets darker as temperature drops

Are we having fun yet?: 

Are we having fun yet?

The Principal Investigator: 

The Principal Investigator

Construction at the Pole: 

Construction at the Pole

The SPIREX Telescope: 

The SPIREX Telescope

The SPIREX Telescope: 

The SPIREX Telescope

Data Pipelining at RIT: 

Data Pipelining at RIT Data from the South Pole National request for proposals 45 proposals received; 13 carried out Data reduced at RIT and distributed worldwide

The Galactic Center viewed from the Pole: 

The Galactic Center viewed from the Pole

Star formation regions from the Pole: 

Star formation regions from the Pole The advantage of infrared imaging from a cold environment

Star formation regions from the Pole: 

Star formation regions from the Pole The advantage of infrared imaging with a wide field

A very wide field 3-color IR image: 

A very wide field 3-color IR image Image mosaic of the NGC 6334 star formation region obtained with SPIREX/Abu at the South Pole

Site monitoring for the entire season: 

Site monitoring for the entire season The advantage of relentless observing & data pipelining

How to tell when it’s cloudy: 

How to tell when it’s cloudy

How to tell the good times from the bad: 

How to tell the good times from the bad

How to squeeze blood from a rock(Or, how to make the bad times look like the good): 

How to squeeze blood from a rock (Or, how to make the bad times look like the good)

The SOFIA Concept: 

The SOFIA Concept

Test flights: 

Test flights

Telescope specifications: 

Telescope specifications Nominal Operational Wavelength Range: 0.3 to 1600 um prime wavelengths 15-300 microns Primary Mirror Diameter = 2.7 meters System Clear Aperture Diameter = 2.5 meters Nominal System f-ratio = 19.6 Primary Mirror f-ratio = 1.28 Telescope's Unvignetted Elevation Range: 20-60 degrees

The mirror blank: 

The mirror blank

SOFIA Key Science: 

SOFIA Key Science Interstellar cloud physics and star formation in our galaxy Proto-planetary disks and planet formation in nearby star systems Origin and evolution of biogenic atoms, molecules, and solids Composition and structure of planetary atmospheres and rings, and comets Star formation, dynamics, and chemical content of other galaxies The dynamic activity in the center of the Milky Way.

SOFIA Data Pipelining at RIT: 

SOFIA Data Pipelining at RIT Under construction: a data cycle system for SOFIA Our data cycle system will be modular, extensible, and continuously improving These 3 attributes are the promise of SOFIA

In the works: telescopes on the Atacama Plateau, Chile: 

In the works: telescopes on the Atacama Plateau, Chile Talk about astronomy in strange places…! Altitude: circa 19000 ft. Rainfall: almost never