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Ground-based telescopes have to look through dense air that distorts images, and orbiting observatories like Hubble are difficult to maintain. A compromise: Sofia, a telescope that will look out from an opening in a 747 cruising at 45,000 feet. Its optics will be pre-chilled to avoid condensation when the bay opens at cold high altitudes, and rubber bumpers will damp out vibrations. The eight-foot-diameter scope will provide clearer images than the best ground observatories—and do it from any vantage point in the world. Sofia first flew in April, and it could begin operations as soon as 2009. www.sofia.usra.edu
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