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Home » SOFIA Observes Pluto Occultation
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Infographic showing SOFIA flying in Pluto's shadow to observe light passing through its atmosphere

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
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About This Image

  • NASA
  • DLR
  • USRA
  • DSI
  •  

Rob Landis
NASA
Project Manager

Naseem Rangwala
NASA
Project Scientist

Margaret Meixner, USRA
Science Mission Operations Director