Christchurch is hosting a very cool NASA 747 Jumbo Jet that has been converted into an infrared telescope. Rumour has it the plane hurtles up high into the atmosphere above most of the moisture and opens the cover on the telescope which is housed behind a hump near the tail. To keep the telescope cool it is chilled to about 4 degrees above absolute zero. This is to minimize the chances of it detecting it's own heat. The telescope is stationary and if the scientists want to rotate it, the whole plane rolls round.
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