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> Artwork of Spitzer space telescope in its heliocentric orbit

Artwork of Spitzer space telescope in its heliocentric orbit

author: Nasa/JPL-Caltech/Novapix

reference: e-sou01-49005

Image Size 300 DPI: 21 * 16 cm

Spitzer looks towards the Rho Ophiuchi star-formation region looming just above the disk of the Milky Way.
The Spitzer Space Telescope (formerly SIRTF, the Space Infrared Telescope Facility) was launched into space by a Delta rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida on 25 August 2003. During its mission, Spitzer will obtain images and spectra by detecting the infrared energy, or heat, radiated by objects in space between wavelengths of 3 and 180 microns (1 micron is one-millionth of a meter). Most of this infrared radiation is blocked by the Earth's atmosphere and cannot be observed from the ground.

Keywords for this photo:

2003 - ARTIFICIAL SATELLITE - ASTRONOMICAL SATELLITE - ASTRONOMY - EARTH - EARTH FROM SPACE - ILLUSTRATION - INFRARED - MOON - ORBIT - SPACE - SPITZER SPACE TELESCOPE - SUN -