FIFI LS Rachel
    Raccoon's
       Visit


Rachel Raccoon recently spent some time visiting the FIFI LS team at the Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik in Garching, Germany on the 28th of November 2001. Rachel is from Riderwood Elementary School in Towson, Maryland USA.



Rachel and the FIFI LS Group 

Rachel with her new friends in the FIFI LS group.
From the left back: Norbert Geis, Albrecht Poglitsch, Rachel Racoon,
Uschi Waldmaus, Rainer Hönle
From the left front: Leslie Looney, Walfried Raab, and Fabio Fumi.



Rachel works with liquid Nitrogen 

Rachel helps the FIFI LS group cool down the detectors with liquid Nitrogen (-321 Fahrenheit!). Wow, that is cold!



Rachel in the Lab 
Rachel in the Lab 

Rachel helps her new friends by working in the electronics laboratory. It takes a steady hand to adjust the oscilloscope, but Rachel learns quickly.



Rachel in the Lab 
Rachel in the Lab 

Rachel shows that the FIFI LS astronomical instrument will be used on the SOFIA airplane (Boeing 747). FIFI LS will be used by astronomers to look toward galaxies with black holes. FIFI LS observes far-infrared light, so it has to fly above the water vapor of the atmosphere -- about 50000 ft. See the SOFIA website or the FIFILS website for more info.



Rachel Raccoon also went with Fabio Fumi on a business trip to Zurich, Switzerland on the 29th of November. She had a little time to do some sightseeing.


Rachel in Zurich 

Rachel makes a quick stop near the center of Zurich
after a long day talking to a company that makes flexible electronic circuit boards.


Rachel Raccoon caught a ride south with Fabio Fumi as he went to his hometown of Trieste, Italy on the 1st of December 2001. There she made friends with Erik Fumi who is 13 years old.


Rachel in Trieste 

Rachel appreciating the view from Erik's apartment. That's the Adratic Sea in the background.
Trieste is a well known port. It use to be the major port of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire.
Erik is named after the Emperor Franz Josef-- Erik Franz Josef Fumi.


Afterwards, Rachel left with Albrecht Poglitsch for an important meeting about the PACS instrument for the Herschel spacecraft in Leuven, Belgium from December 3rd to the 7th. There she made friends with a number of people from different countries.


Rachel in the Hotel 
Rachel in the Hotel 

Rachel likes the view from her hotel room near the center of the old city.



Rachel in the old city 

Rachel goes for a walk in the old town. But she can not resist a break in the tree.



Rachel with friends 

Rachel discusses microchip design at low temperatures with Patrick Merken and Ybe Creten from IMEC (a company from Leuven).



Rachel with Louis 

Rachel meets with Louis Rodriguez from CEA a research institute in Saclay near Paris. She decides to tour Paris with him, even though she does not like it when people smoke.

If you have questions concerning this site, please contact: lwl@mpe.mpg.de