Flying Observatory coup for Christchurch.

[Suezy]

Flying observatory coup for Christchurch
Last updated 05:00 06/04/2013

OPINION: In terms of big science, it does not get much bigger than this. In terms of cold, hard cash, it does not get much more expensive than this, either.
North America and Europe, traditionally, have the monopoly on hosting and running the world's largest and most money-hungry science experiments. But this winter, Christchurch will become an important, even vital, link in the search for new understandings about our part of the universe.
Christchurch has scored a huge coup in securing for several weeks from mid-July a more than US$800 million (NZ$952m) flying observatory and hosting about 40 scientists and technical staff. The announcement of our involvement provides some much-needed good news for the city.
Of all the places in the world that could have been chosen for part of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration mission, our small city at the bottom of the world turned out to have several distinct advantages, not least its history as a base for previous airborne telescopes. There is also further good news in that the observatory may well be back again in future winters.
Business-class airfares are hugely expensive to the average traveller, but they pale into insignificance compared with the expense of flying the highly modified Boeing 747SP that houses the 2.5-metre diameter telescope in a refrigerated cavity. Each time the former PanAm and United Airlines plane takes off to embark on one of its six-hour or longer night-time flights, it costs more than US$1m. To put this in perspective, that is as expensive per hour of observing time as it is to operate its larger and even more adventurous cousin, the Hubble Space Telescope.
The mission, nicknamed Sofia, is more properly known as the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy. The plane will climb above the troposphere, the lowest layer of the atmosphere containing cloud and weather, and into the next layer, up to about 14,000 metres, where the telescope can more clearly pick out features in the Solar System and in the Milky Way galaxy.
It is great to know that, despite our distance from the world's most munificent funding agencies, the densest concentration of academics and the most powerful and persuasive movers and shakers and lobbyists, Christchurch can shine so brightly.
Several factors have made the city alluring to the United States and German decision makers in charge of the research programme. Compared with the northern hemisphere, our skies have more clarity because of a lack of atmospheric pollution. Airspace above and around the South Island is also reasonably devoid of other aircraft, particularly at night when Sofia will be operating.
Also, by a quirk of meteorology, the city's southern latitude means it has colder upper-air temperatures, which makes the stratosphere lower, saving the plane from flying quite as high to get to its optimum observing altitude.
Another advantage to basing the plane here is the long main runway at Christchurch International Airport and the proximity of hotel accommodation for researchers.
There is a further reason why it makes good sense to involve Christchurch in the Sofia mission - history. The city has a tried and tested record of supporting, in all kinds of ways, logistically difficult missions. Operation Deep Freeze and the US Antarctic Program have been an important part of life at Christchurch Airport since the mid-1950s and those involved in that work over many years have had a visible presence in the city.
Sofia's predecessor, the converted Lockheed Starlifter that formed the Kuiper Airborne Observatory, was a frequent sight at the airport. It first visited in 1986 and continued missions out of Christchurch until 1995, when the search began for a plane that could carry a larger telescope.
One feature of Deep Freeze and Kuiper observatory missions were the public outreach sessions, especially open days, offered by the organisers. Sofia's bosses are already indicating that such efforts are likely to continue.
The shortened jumbo jet is expected to be on final approach to the airport on July 12. We look forward to that day and welcome the vote of confidence its impending arrival gives to the people of Christchurch.
-   © Fairfax NZ News
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