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A Seeker Of Truth Dies Far From Home

The Spitzer Space Telescope (SST), designed to observe the universe around us via infrared light, received its final command yesterday and shut down, after sixteen years of faithful service.

The SST (born/launched August 25th 2003, 5:39:35 AM, Cape Canaveral Florida) was an infrared space telescope launched into orbit around the Sun and trailing the Earth, an ideal placement to make observations about The Universe. Among its achievements, the SST was the first telescope to detect direct light from planets orbiting other stars. It discovered a new ring around Saturn, and identified and studied the most distant galaxy we’ve ever seen.

Although only designed for its primary mission to last 2 1/2 to 5 years, the SST kept going. On May 15th 2009, as the transiting Sun passed opposite the SST’s Mercury and the Moon passed over the SST’s South Node, the onboard supply of liquid helium coolant ran out, thus ending the main thrust of the mission. But it soldiered on, continuing to make groundbreaking observations until yesterday. As transiting Mars joined the telescope’s natal Pluto and the North Node was conjunct its natal Saturn, the final signal to shut the Spitzer Space Telescope was sent.

It is expected to remain in orbit around the SUN for potentially a few thousand years yet It will stand as a quiet testament to a species capable of looking out at the sky together and wondering what’s out there.

That species now seems to be descending more and more into the madness of anger and tribalism, and is more interested in spreading falsehoods than in finding new Truths. Despite the accumulated evidence to the contrary, some experts remain optimistic.

Hang in there, SST. With luck one day maybe we’ll be able to get our crap together down here long enough that we can come and see you, and remind ourselves of what’s really important.