# Spitzer Space Telescope: Infrared Eyes on the Universe

# This is your Astronomy Tonight podcast.

Good evening, stargazers! November 16th has been witness to one of the most thrilling moments in the history of space exploration, and I'm absolutely delighted to tell you about it.

On November 16th, 2003, the most powerful cosmic detective ever built was launched into the cosmos aboard an Ariane 5 rocket from French Guiana. I'm talking about the Spitzer Space Telescope – a revolutionary infrared observatory that would fundamentally change how we see the universe.

Named after the brilliant astrophysicist Lyman Spitzer Jr., this magnificent instrument was approximately the size of a school bus, yet it possessed abilities that would make it one of NASA's most prolific and beloved observatories. What made Spitzer truly special was its ability to see in infrared wavelengths – the heat signatures that our human eyes simply cannot perceive.

Imagine having X-ray vision, but instead of seeing through walls, you could pierce through vast cosmic dust clouds to witness baby stars being born in stellar nurseries millions of light-years away! That's essentially what Spitzer could do. It discovered hidden galaxies shrouded in dust, revealed the true nature of the early universe, and even helped characterize the atmospheres of distant exoplanets – work that would take conventional telescopes decades to accomplish, if they could do it at all.

For over sixteen glorious years, until it ran out of coolant in January 2020, Spitzer collected infrared data that revolutionized our understanding of everything from the formation of planetary systems to the evolution of the cosmos itself. Its legacy continues to inspire new discoveries even today.

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