SIRTF NASA’s Space InfraRed Telescope Facility Alyssa A. Goodman Professor of Astronomy Harvard University.

SIRTFNASA’s Space InfraRed Telescope

Facility

Alyssa A. GoodmanProfessor of Astronomy

Harvard University

It’s not always so cold in space…

“Revenge is a dish best served cold,

and it’s very cold in space.”--Khan

Observatories for Any “Temperature”

Wavelength

NASA’s Great Observatories

What wavelengths are easy to observe from the ground?

The Electromagnetic Spectrum

LOW TO HIGH ENERGY

SIRTFSIRTF

Infrared Life

The “Thermal” (or “Far”) Infrared

Tem

pera

ture

, de

g F

“Emission” from aCold-blooded Lizard

Optical Image

Far-Infrared Image

“Room Temperature”

Emission & Absorption

Emitter

Absorber

“Emission”

“Absorption”

Emission

Emitter “Emission”

Absorption

Absorber “Absorption”

Not all Wavelengths are Absorbed Equally

“Dust Grain”

“DustGrain”

Light is “Extinguished”& Does not Reach Us

Light Goes Right by& Reaches Us

Near-Infrared

Optical

SIRTFNASA’s Space InfraRed Telescope

Facility

“Great Observatory” for Near- and Far-Infrared Astronomy

Real Star Formation

Today’s Tour: Optical and Infrared Views of Orion

(Images prepared for upcoming “L-30 Press Briefing at NASA HQ, March 25,

2003)

Simulated Star Formati

on

SIRTF “L-30” Press Conference

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Nebula

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Far-infrared Image

Orion

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Hubble Space Telescope Image

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Near-infrared Image

SIRTFNASA’s Space InfraRed Telescope

Facility

Alyssa A. GoodmanProfessor of Astronomy

Harvard University