Stephanie L. Schierholz
Headquarters, Washington                               
202-358-4997
stephanie.schierholz@nasa.gov

Cathy Weselby
Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif.
650-604-4789
cathy.weselby@nasa.gov

RELEASE: 11-325

NASA ANNOUNCES CALIFORNIA TWEETUP TO TOUR AIRBORNE OBSERVATORY

MOFFETT FIELD, Calif. -- NASA will host a Tweetup for 50 of its
Twitter followers on Oct. 14 at the agency's Ames Research Center in
Moffett Field, Calif. The Tweetup includes a tour of the
Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) aircraft,
which will visit Ames.

SOFIA is a highly modified Boeing 747SP aircraft that carries a
telescope with a 100-inch reflecting mirror to conduct astronomy
research not possible with ground-based telescopes. SOFIA is housed
at NASA's Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility in Palmdale, Calif.

In addition to climbing aboard SOFIA, the Tweetup guests will speak
with NASA officials, managers and SOFIA scientists. The Tweetup will
include a session where participants can mingle with fellow Tweeps
and the staff behind the tweets on @NASA, @NASAAmes and
@SOFIATelescope.

Tweetup registration opens at 7 a.m. PDT on Monday, Oct. 3, and closes
at 2 p.m. PDT on Tuesday, Oct. 4. NASA will randomly select 50
participants from online registrations.

For more information and rules about the Tweetup and registration,
visit:



http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup


To follow NASA on Twitter, visit:



http://www.twitter.com/NASA


For more information about NASA's Ames Research Center, visit:



http://www.nasa.gov/ames