The sensitivity of infrared instruments has improved by a<br /><br /><br /><br />
factor of a million over the past 25 years. This improvement has<br /><br /><br /><br />
brought infrared astronomy to the forefront in two critical areas<br /><br /><br /><br />
of inquiry: the evolution of the early universe and the formation <br /><br /><br /><br />
of stars and planetary systems. We will describe the detector,<br /><br /><br /><br />
materials, and environmental issues that make infrared astronomy<br /><br /><br /><br />
unique. We will discuss current instrument projects and science<br /><br /><br /><br />
results in mid-IR and near-IR spectroscopy, as well as future plans <br /><br /><br /><br />
for investigations with space telescopes and with a new generation of<br /><br /><br /><br />
ground-based instruments.<br /><br /><br /><br />