Editing Far-infrared astronomy (section)

== Telescopes == 
On 22 January 2014, [[European Space Agency]] scientists reported the detection, for the first definitive time, of [[water vapor]] on the [[dwarf planet]], [[Ceres (dwarf planet)|Ceres]], largest object in the [[asteroid belt]].<ref name="KüppersO’Rourke2014">{{cite journal |last1=Küppers |first1=Michael |last2=O’Rourke |first2=Laurence |last3=Bockelée-Morvan |first3=Dominique|author3-link=Dominique Bockelée-Morvan |last4=Zakharov |first4=Vladimir |last5=Lee |first5=Seungwon |last6=von Allmen |first6=Paul |last7=Carry |first7=Benoît |last8=Teyssier |first8=David |last9=Marston |first9=Anthony |last10=Müller |first10=Thomas |last11=Crovisier |first11=Jacques |last12=Barucci |first12=M. Antonietta |last13=Moreno |first13=Raphael |title=Localized sources of water vapour on the dwarf planet (1) Ceres |journal=Nature |volume=505 |issue=7484 |date=2014 |pages=525–527 |issn=0028-0836 |doi=10.1038/nature12918 |bibcode = 2014Natur.505..525K |pmid=24451541|s2cid=4448395 }}</ref> The detection was made by using the far-infrared abilities of the [[Herschel Space Observatory]].<ref name="NASA-20140122">{{cite web |last1=Harrington |first1=J.D. |title=Herschel Telescope Detects Water on Dwarf Planet - Release 14-021 |url=http://www.nasa.gov/press/2014/january/herschel-telescope-detects-water-on-dwarf-planet |date=22 January 2014 |work=[[NASA]] |access-date=22 January 2014 }}</ref> The finding is unexpected because [[comets]], not [[asteroids]], are typically considered to "sprout jets and plumes". According to one of the scientists, "The lines are becoming more and more blurred between comets and asteroids."<ref name="NASA-20140122" />

[[File:Herschel in space close up on its mirror node full image.jpg|thumb|Herschel Space Observatory]]
The Earth's atmosphere is opaque over most of the far-infrared, so most far-infrared astronomy is performed by satellites such as the [[Herschel Space Observatory]],<ref name="PilbrattRiedinger2010">{{cite journal|last1=Pilbratt|first1=G. L.|last2=Riedinger|first2=J. R.|last3=Passvogel|first3=T.|last4=Crone|first4=G.|last5=Doyle|first5=D.|last6=Gageur|first6=U.|last7=Heras|first7=A. M.|last8=Jewell|first8=C.|last9=Metcalfe|first9=L.|last10=Ott|first10=S.|last11=Schmidt|first11=M.|title=HerschelSpace Observatory|journal=Astronomy and Astrophysics|volume=518|year=2010|pages=L1|issn=0004-6361|doi=10.1051/0004-6361/201014759|bibcode=2010A&A...518L...1P|arxiv=1005.5331|s2cid=118533433 }}</ref> [[Spitzer Space Telescope]], [[IRAS]], and [[Infrared Space Observatory]]. Upper-atmosphere observations are also possible, as conducted by the airborne [[Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy|SOFIA]] telescope.

Ground-based observations are limited to submillimetre wavelengths using high-altitude telescopes such as the [[James Clerk Maxwell Telescope]], the [[Caltech Submillimeter Observatory]], the [[High Elevation Antarctic Terahertz Telescope]] and the [[Submillimeter Array]].