3D Model of the Spitzer InfraRed Telescope



If this �is the true� for you�you are missing a lot�.! I have to tell you, there are more things we can�t see than the ones we can.



Light is a wave (let�s say�). Waves has frequencies (or �wavelengths�). We can see only frequencies that we know as the �Rainbow�. Watch the picture. A very little space, no? All frequencies �higher� than violet and �lower� than red are invisible for our eyes.
So the most powerful optical telescope in the world could see only the light between violet and red. A very small space�.

Here�s the trick. We developed telescopes that �see� other wavelengths. And translate that into a visible images. For example Radio Telescopes. And, as in this case, Infra Red Telescopes.






Look at the next pictures. In the left we have the Orion Nebula (with drawn lines) as we see with visible light. Nice�



But when we �see� Orion with this Infra Red Telescope�everything is in fire!!! You see for what does this IR Telescope is? We can see a lot more than we can with visible light. By the way, it�s not burning at all�that �fire� is actually frozen gas, but as this telescope is so sensitive, he could see that. Then we �paint� that info with red, but could be painted in green, for example. It is hot, yes, but a very very weak one.








A penguin would die frozen in just a second inside the Spitzer SIRTF (Space Infrared Telescope Facility). As this Telescope measures very weak heat, it has to be very cold inside. Cooler than empty space. So the instruments and telescope are refrigerated thanks to the Cryostat.



This is a system with liquid helium that cools with it�s vapor the instruments. It has 360 lt. of helium wich ensures 5 years of working at 5.5 Kelvin.



The Instrument Chamber (right) goes strait over the Cryostat (left) so once in space, instruments are cooled by venting helium vapor. Also the base of the telescope is refrigerated. This is the heart of the Spitzer.



There is a Sun shield also, that collects energy and protect the Telescope against the Sun heat.



Finally, as you can see in the previous picture, the main body where the Telescope and instruments are has another shield. The �silver� side is near the Solar shield to stop the heat coming from there. The black side �looks� to outer space and it�s black so the insignificant heat produced in the Telescope radiates to space.
Isn�t the Best Refrigerator ever build?






As Spitzer Telescope didn�t have any trouble since his first day at work (August 2003) he�s not so famous as Hubble�but for scientists he made a lot of �noise�.
Now we know much more about the Big Bang, the Universe age. The obscure dust of the space it�s not a problem for the Spitzer. Thanks that we can see how the Center of our Galaxy is. Look at the picture, in the left with visible light, in the right, the Infra Red light.




The most distants Galaxies can be reached now by the Spitzer. We can see dust belts around stars (the planets�facility�) that were never seen before. And a lot of important discoveries.
All this achievement was possible due to the two first IR Telescopes with the �Helium Cooler� technology. The first one in 1983, made by NASA, the UK and Netherlands. The second one in 1995, made by the European Space Agency.

Here I attached a 3D Model made by me in SketchUp. Is located near the Earth just to show it, but it�s really far away from here!!
And a �Bonus Track� that allows you to track where�s the Spitzer right now.

Hereyou can download beautiful PDFs about Spitzer space investigations.

InfraRed Astronomy Links

More about IR Light
Images Credits

�The Spitzer Space Telescope World Wide Web Site is the result of a collaborative effort by the Education and Public Outreach team at the Spitzer Science Center (SSC), California Institute of Technology.�




Enjoy it.