Spitzer, Not Cool!

Spitzer is out of cryogen.
Cold mission is dead.
Long live the warm mission!

It is official, as of this weekend, the Spitzer Space Telescope is out of coolant (liquid helium), right on schedule.

This will basically end mid-IR observing, MIPS will not be taking data, as I understand it,
nor will IRS.
So no mid-infrared imaging and no infrared spectroscopy now.

IRAC will continue to provide 3.6 and 4.5 μm imaging on 5'x5' field as an extended "warm mission".

Lots of interesting observations in the pipeline, and more to come in the next 2-3 years, funding permitting.

h/t Astro Dyke

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