Goodbye SOFIA, Thanks for All the Discoveries

SOFIA or The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy is coming to an end, but let's look back on some of the amazing discoveries of this flying telescope.

Hosted by: Hank Green (He/Him)
----------
Huge thanks go to the following Patreon supporter for helping us keep SciShow Space free for everyone forever: Jason A Saslow, David Brooks, and AndyGneiss!

----------
Looking for SciShow elsewhere on the internet?
----------

IMAGES

[quanti]

Many years ago, I worked in the NASA Ames Research Center machine shop. One day I was asked to make a set of particularly large aluminum spacers with unusually tight tolerances. Later I found out they were bound for what would one day become SOFIA. It was probably the most high profile project I ever contributed to.

[kathleenfredette]

SOFIA also included educators on their missions which trickled back to inspire the next generation of scientists and thinkers.

[huntersamuels]

As someone who's worked with aircraft and has always loved them, it's sad to see such an impressive and unique aircraft go in such a manor. Thanks Sophia for all the lessions and discovers

[y_fam_goeglyd]

The first time I heard about SOFIA it was on a TV programme by Richard Hammond (I think. I can't remember any other series about weather I watched more than once that wasn't by him, but I do stand to be corrected). The episode was about storms, particularly thunderstorms. Until this flight, there was still a lot of debate about "sprites"; lightning going up from the cloud tops towards space. Frankly there wasn't even a consensus that they existed, though there were a lot of reports and images of flashing light above the clouds from space missions.

That episode had them go up in SOFIA on a night where storms were predicted, and (again, IIRC - I am a tad fuzzy on the specific data) they flew for about 8 hours overnight. They managed to capture the IR images of sprites, and finally confirmed what we now know about them.

It's always sad when one of these magnificent creations "dies". "All" it is is a bunch of technical bits and pieces, yet we imbue them with character, especially if they're given a human name (either named after someone or one made up from an acronym), and there's a sensation of watching a loved one die. It's why Hubble is still going and will until it can't operate anymore. The reaction to the news of its imminent demise mobilised the world's geekdom. Tis a shame that SOFIA won't be saved 🤷🏻‍♀️☹️.

[AviatorJ]

I'd see SOFIA flying around North America and the Pacific some mornings when I got to work around 0500. It was always neat seeing it in the low to mid 40, 000 feet range since I knew it was doing good science.

[boredgrass]

13000 meter is in the area where a pilot has to "navigate" extreme slim margins of speed and pitch to avoid stall! For that reason it is called the "coffin corner"...This kind of flying is very demanding and deserves a big thank you for the crew!

[teresamobley]

I've been on that plane and it was super cool. The teacher programs they did with SOFIA were incredible.

[waitotong]

Farewell SOFIA! An interesting concept on a rare plane. Your contributions(albeit not a whole lot) will not be forgotten!

[jessnz]

Can't believe I'll never see her fly again. Spent the winter down here at Christchurch

[jangschoen]

Gonna miss that special 747sp, what a shame. SOFIA's going to get a dignified retirement, right?

[Andymanperson]

So long, and thanks for all the discoveries!

[stevenwilson]

I was so lucky I got to fly on a couple missions as an intern. RIP SOFIA!

[AstroBound]

SOFIA as pin of the month! make it happen!!

[just_kos]

Sad to hear SOFIA is being moth-balled. I remember the first time I saw a 747-SP. 747s are my favorite airplane, and I lived under the flight path of Seattle-Tacoma Intl Airport. My dad (who worked at Boeing) and I were walking home from the bus, and I looked up to see this truncated 747, lol! I said, "Look at that short little 747!" and dad chuckled and told me it was an SP, for "Special".

[julescaru]

Another interesting topic, presented well, sad to see that the money aspect has won again, thanks to the whole SOFIA team for the valuable work.
All the best Jules

[Boomnock]

Love the show. Would love to see the bloopers too!

[chillsahoy]

So long, so long, so long, and thanks for the pics!

[MemphiStig]

"A telescope that flies" sounds very steampunk, like it should be mounted atop an over-sized airship.
It also sounds like a logistical nightmare. But it would be a really cool job.
"I'm a pilot." "Oh? What do you fly?" "A telescope."😲

[jacksonstarky]

At the start of this video, I just assumed that SOFIA's retirement was because the JWST had made it redundant. I hope that NASA doesn't later regret this decision... possibly after a tantalizing glimpse of something yet to be found at the far end of the JWST's perceptive range.

[michaelg]

Hopefully the Udvar-Hazy Center can preserve SOFIA as a museum or perhaps one of the museums that NASA operates can take the burden. It would be a true shame to send the aircraft off to a scrap heap.