Infographic showing SOFIA flying in Pluto's shadow
SOFIA Observes Pluto Occultation
Date

SOFIA observed the dwarf planet Pluto as it passed in front of a distant star in June 2015. This event, known as an “occultation,” allowed scientific analysis of Pluto and its atmosphere by flying SOFIA at the right moment to an exact location where Pluto’s shadow crossed Earth.

Credit
(NASA/SOFIA/USRA/ASP/L. Proudfit)
Image Number
SH-0005

Additional Information