Terry Herter, Cornell University

FORCAST (Faint Object infraRed CAmera for the SOFIA Telescope), an instrument constructed at Cornell, achieved first light with SOFIA in 2010.  FORCAST has been used to both characterize the imaging capabilities of SOFIA and perform science observations over the 5 -

40 micron spectral region.  SOFIA achieves diffraction-limited imaging at wavelengths greater than 30 microns complementing Spitzer and Herschel.  FORCAST detects the infrared radiation from dust grains heated by UV and visible light (mainly) from stars.  The FORCAST science team was able to image the Orion and W3 star forming regions are part of an early science program demonstrating the power of improved spatial resolution in understanding the energetics of these regions.