Spitzer warmed up and ready to go
Tue Jul 28, 2009 at 12:48 UTC
NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has put its infrared eyes back on the sky to observe the cold and dusty universe. The telescope ran out of liquid coolant on May 15, 2009, after more than five-and-a-half years of observations.
Two of its infrared channels are working at full capacity at the observatory's new "warm" temperature of approximately 30 Kelvin (minus 406 degrees Fahrenheit) -- still quite chilly by our Earthly standards.
Engineers and scientists have been busy recalibrating the telescope and making preparations for Spitzer's new era of science. Routine science operations began yesterday, July 27, 2009.
| Source: Jet Propulsion Laboratory | |
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