The Spitzer Space Telescope, an essential segment of NASA’s Great Observatories Program, is scheduled to permanently cease operations after almost 16 years of cosmic exploration in infrared light. The official shutdown date is set for January 30th, 2020. The Great Observatories Program is a group of four space-based observatories, each designed to observe the Universe through their unique light spectrum capabilities.
The Great Observatory Family
NASA’s Great Observatories Program consists of four key members – the visible-light Hubble Space Telescope (HST), the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory (CGRO), the Chandra X-Ray Observatory (CXO) and lastly, the Spitzer Space Telescope. Launched in 2003, Spitzer was the final mission added into this distinguished family of space-based observatories.
The Capabilities of the Spitzer Space Telescope
As a cryogenically-cooled observatory deployed in space, Spitzer had the capacity to study varying objects – from those within our Solar System to those situated in the distant universe. It specifically captures infrared light which is typically emitted by ‘warm’ objects- objects that are not hot enough to radiate visible light.
Notable Discoveries of the Spitzer Space Telescope
Over its tenure, the Spitzer Space Telescope flagged several crucial findings. One such discovery was that of a new ring encircling the planet Saturn. The year 2017 saw Spitzer unveil the existence of seven rocky planets orbiting the TRAPPIST-1 star.
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| TRAPPIST-1 | A planetary system located 12 parsecs (39 light years) away from our Solar system |
| Size Comparison | TRAPPIST-1 is 12 times less massive than our Sun and only marginally larger than Jupiter |
| Planets Orbiting | The Star has a minimum of seven planets orbiting it |
The Future of Space Observatories: The James Webb Space Telescope
As the era of the Spitzer Space Telescope concludes, NASA now looks ahead to the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope in 2021. This new telescope will carry on the legacy of studying the universe across various wavelengths, much like its predecessor, Spitzer.
