SOFIA Observes Pluto Occultation
Date:
6/29/2015
SOFIA observed the dwarf planet Pluto as it passed in front of a distant star in June 2015. This event, known as an “occultation,” allowed scientific analysis of Pluto and its atmosphere by flying SOFIA at the right moment to an exact location where Pluto’s shadow crossed Earth.
Credit:
(NASA/SOFIA/USRA/ASP/L. Proudfit)
Image Number:
SH-0005
Astronomical Objects:
planet