NASA's Kuiper Airborne Observatory and the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) are two examples of telescopes placed in high-flying aircraft.Why would astronomers put telescopes in airplanes?
A) to get the telescopes closer to the stars
B) to get the telescopes away from the light pollution of cities
C) to get the telescopes above the majority of the water vapor in Earth's atmosphere
D) to be able to observe one object for more than 24 hours without stopping
E) to allow the telescopes to observe the full spectrum of light

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Placing telescopes in airplanes allows them to fly above most of the water vapor in Earth's atmosphere, which absorbs and distorts infrared light, thus improving the quality of astronomical observations.