Spitzer Space Telescope

Overview

The Spitzer Space Telescope was one of NASA's Great Observatories, designed to observe the universe in infrared light. It played a crucial role in the study of cold objects like dust clouds, cool stars, and molecules in space that are invisible in optical light.

Primary Objectives

• Study cooler objects in space like dust clouds and failed stars
• Observe newly forming planetary systems
• Look through dust clouds to see hidden objects
• Study distant galaxies and objects from the early universe

Notable Discoveries

• Found the largest known ring around Saturn
• Made the first observations of light from extrasolar planets
• Discovered new ring systems around Saturn
• Identified organic molecules in distant galaxies

Technical Specifications