In less than two workweek , one of NASA ’s flagship infrared scope will close up its eye on the cosmos . On January 30 , Spitzer , one of the office ’s Great Observatories , will channelise its final science and engineering data to mission control andbe shift off .
The Spitzer Space Telescope has exchange infrared astronomy for the better . launch into space on August 25 , 2003 , it has in its 6,000 days in domain learn everything from removed galaxy to our erratic neighbors .
Spitzer provided a Modern way of life for uranologist to study the universe . Among its many accomplishments are detailed subject of star - forming nebulae and what goes on inside them . It delivered the large and most detailed infrared portrait of the Milky Way , consist of over 800,000 snapshots , and also discovered the Phoebe ring of Saturn .
To find the universe in infrared , a scope needs to be cold , and Spitzer achieved that in two ways . First , it was put in an Earth - drop behind orbit so that it did n’t have to shell out with Earth ’s own heat load . It was also keep coolheaded with a liquid helium coolant . For this reasonableness , the mission was always envisioned as have a limited shelf - aliveness .
It was design to operate for 2.5 years with the prospect that the computer program could be extended to double up that . It ran out of coolant five geezerhood , eight month , and 19 days after it launched . And while it could n’t perform far - infrared observations without the coolant , one instrument keep maneuver and continued to make for indefatigably . The Spitzer Warm Mission hold up more than doubly as long as the primary military mission and is marked by with child succeeder .
In particular , Spitzer lent its attainment to the discovery and written report of exoplanets . The famousTRAPPIST-1 systemhas seven of these exoplanets , five of which were discovered with Spitzer data while two more were confirm by the mission . The organization remain the largest system of terrestrial satellite ever found around a single star . The lookout station was responsible for for the first study of the atmospheres of planets from outside the Solar System .
Spitzer is one of NASA ’s four Great Observatories . The Compton Gamma Ray Observatory was launched in 1991 and reason out its mission in 2000 when it was de - revolve . The Chandra X - ray Observatory and the Hubble Space Telescope continue to work despite their eld . Chandra is now in its third decade of operation and Hubble will shortly recruit its 4th .
Spitzer wo n’t have a direct replacement but several infrared lookout station will be launched in the next few years . No matter what amount next its bequest wo n’t be forgotten for decades to come .
NASA will pay protection to Spitzer and the astronomers and technician that worked on it at 1 pm EST on Wednesday , January 22 . The event to celebratethis incredible legacywill air live across all of NASA ’s chief social media channel .
