Photos: NASA's IRIS Sun Observatory Mission in Space

NASA's IRIS Sun-Watching Telescope: Artist's View

NASA

Artist's concept of the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) satellite in orbit. The sun-observing telescope is launching in June 2013. [Read the full launch story]

Small Part of the Sun, IRIS

NASA/SDO/IRIS

NASA's IRIS sun-observing spacecraft can view about one percent of the sun at a time and resolve features as small as 150 miles across. Image uploaded Feb. 11, 2014. [Read the Full Story Behind this Image Here]

Sun's Interface Region

NASA/IRIS

NASA's IRIS spacecraft captured this glimpse of the interface region below the surface of the sun. Image released Feb. 11, 2014. [Read the Full Story Behind this Image Here]

IRIS Versus Solar Dynamics Observatory

NASA/SDO/IRIS

NASA's IRIS sun-watching spacecraft has unprecedented resolution of the sun. Above is a portion of the sun as seen by IRIS (right) and NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (left). Image uploaded Feb. 11, 2014. [Read the Full Story Behind this Image Here]

IRIS Away: NASA Sun Observatory Launches

NASA TV

NASA's IRIS sun-observing telescope launches toward space on an Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket just after its separation from an L-1011 carrier aircraft over the Pacific Ocean on June 27, 2013. Image taken from a NASA chase plane. [Read the full launch story]

NASA IRIS Sun Telescope Launch: Mothership View

NASA TV

NASA's IRIS sun-watching telescope soars toward space atop an Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket in this spectacular view from the rocket's L-1011 carrier plane as both flew over the Pacific Ocean on June 27, 2013. [Read the full launch story]

IRIS Sun Telescope Launch Fans: NASA Ames

NASA Ames Research Center

Members of the public at NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif., watch a live video feed of the agency's IRIS solar telescope as it soars toward space from a drop point over the Pacific Ocean on June 27, 2013. [Read the full launch story]

NASA IRIS Sun Telescope Launch: Chase Plane

NASA TV

A NASA chase plane captured this view of the IRIS sun telescope and its Pegasus XL rocket as they soar toward orbit from over the Pacific Ocean shortly after launch on June 27, 2013. [Read the full launch story]

NASA IRIS Solar Telescope Launch: Trajectory

NASA TV

This still image from a NASA TV webcast shows the trajectory of the agency's IRIS sun-watching telescope as it soars toward orbit atop an Orbital Sciences Pegasus XL rocket after its launch over the Pacific Ocean on June 27, 2013. [Read the full launch story]

NASA IRIS Sun Telescope: Mothership

NASA TV

A camera on the L-1011 carrier plane toting NASA's IRIS sun telescope into launch position captured this aft view of the probe's Orbital Sciences-built Pegasus XL rocket before launch on June 27, 2013. [Read the full launch story]

IRIS Spacecraft Rises into Sky Aboard Carrier Plane

NASA TV

This screenshot from NASA TV shows NASA's sun-watching IRIS spacecraft rising into the California sky underneath its carrier aircraft on June 27, 2013, ahead of an airborne rocket launch to Earth orbit. [Read the full launch story]

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