Skip to main content
SOFIA Science CenterStratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy

SOFIA Science Center

Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy
Navigation

Main menu

  • Home
  • For Researchers
  • Multimedia

Funding Available for Archival Research: SOFIA is pleased to invite proposals for SOFIA Archival Research Programs (SARP), aimed at encouraging the use of SOFIA archival observations for impactful science. This program will fund archival research projects primarily using SOFIA data to encourage the use of available SOFIA archival data in the Infrared Science Archive (IRSA). Proposals are due February 12, 2021. Learn more here.

Magnetic ‘Highway’ Channels Material Out of Cigar GalaxyMagnetic Chaos Hidden Within the Whirlpool GalaxyOccultation Confirms Haze in Pluto’s AtmosphereCold Quasars and the Evolution of GalaxiesThe Optical Depth of [CII]: the Implications for Galaxies both Near and FarSOFIA Detects Water on the MoonMolecular Processing in the Disks of Massive StarsA Magnetic Hourglass Detection for a Low-Mass ProtostarMagnetized Filamentary Gas Flows in Serpens SouthThe Chemical Enrichment of the UniverseSOFIA Reveals the Complex Nature of a 'Simple' Star Formation TracerMagnetic Fields Force New Perspective on the Center of Our Milky Way GalaxySOFIA Reveals New View of Milky Way’s CenterHow The Swan Nebula Hatched How to Shape a Spiral Galaxy Planetary Collisions in a Binary Star SystemMagnetic Field May Be Keeping Milky Way’s Black Hole QuietSOFIA Observations Fuel Debate about the Origin of the Earth’s OceansFirst Astrophysical Detection of a Very Special MoleculeThe Cosmic Fireworks of Massive Star FormationWeighing Galactic Wind Provides Clues to Evolution of GalaxiesSOFIA Uncovers Clues to the Evolution of Universe and Search for LifeSOFIA Finds Dust Survives Obliteration in Supernova 1987ALifting the Veil on Star Formation in the Orion NebulaNASA’s SOFIA Observatory Captures Orion’s Dragon in 3-DCosmic Collisions: Unraveling the Mysterious Formation of Star ClustersMagnetic Fields Confine the Torus at the Core of Cygnus A

SOFIA is an 80/20 partnership of NASA and the German Aerospace Center (DLR), consisting of an extensively modified Boeing 747SP aircraft carrying a 2.7-meter (106 inch) reflecting telescope (with an effective diameter of 2.5 meters or 100 inches). The aircraft is based at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in Palmdale, Calif. The SOFIA Program Office is at NASA Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif., which manages SOFIA's science and mission operations in cooperation with the Universities Space Research Association (USRA; Columbia, Md.) and the German SOFIA Institute (DSI; University of Stuttgart).

Quick Links

Science Center Careers
Subscribe to email announcements
Cycle 9 Call for Proposals
Current Flight Plans
Contact SOFIA Science Help-Desk

Search form

Tweets by @SOFIAtelescope

Science Results

Solar System
Pluto horizon showing atmosphere

Occultation Confirms Haze in Pluto’s Atmosphere

Interstellar Medium
Artist concept with Mira star and helix strand

The Chemical Enrichment of the Universe

Star Formation
Average spectra of the [CII] emission for M17 SW superposed on a composite image

The Optical Depth of [CII]: the Implications for Galaxies both Near and Far

Stars and Supernovae
Illustration of planetary nebula NGC 7027 and helium hydride molecules

First Astrophysical Detection of a Very Special Molecule

Galactic Center
Magnetic fields over a blue and gray image of a bright ring at the center of the Milky Way galaxy

The Role of the Magnetic Field in the Galactic Center

Extragalactic
Illustration of active black hole at center of galaxy with blue stars surrounded by ring of dust

Cold Quasars and the Evolution of Galaxies

Publications
Astronomy and Astrophysics journal cover

SOFIA Refereed Papers

Observatory Update
Observatory Updates

Funding Available for Archival Research

Information for Researchers

M82

Information about the observatory, its scientific capabilities, proposal calls, and other matters of interest to researchers.

Information for the Public

SOFIA takes off into the sunset

Information for educators, resources for journalists, news updates, and image galleries.

NASA SOFIA Mission

NASA logo

News, images, and other information for the general public.

German SOFIA Institute

DSI logo

Information about the German SOFIA Institute (DSI).

  • NASA
  • DLR
  • USRA
  • DSI
  •  

Rob Landis
NASA
Project Manager

Naseem Rangwala
NASA
Project Scientist

Margaret Meixner, USRA
Science Mission Operations Director