NASA's SPHEREx

NASA's new space telescope, SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer), is scheduled for launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

What is SPHEREx?

• SPHEREx is a megaphone-shaped space telescope with the capability to observe both optical and infrared light.
• While traditional optical telescopes like the Hubble Space Telescope are limited to visible light, SPHEREx will focus on infrared light, which is essential for observing distant cosmic phenomena such as star formation, galactic structures, and the earliest moments of the universe.
• The telescope will map the entire sky in 102 infrared colors, creating the most detailed and colorful cosmic map ever produced.
• Main Objectives of SPHEREx
  • Mapping the Universe in 102 Infrared Colors: SPHEREx aims to map the universe in unprecedented detail.
    • Unlike the James Webb Space Telescope, which observes localized regions of the cosmos, SPHEREx will map the entire sky.
    • The mission will utilize infrared light, which is crucial for observing the farthest reaches of space, including stars being born and the detailed structures of galaxies.
    • SPHEREx will create a colorful, high-resolution map of the cosmos, offering new insights into cosmic history.
  • Understanding Cosmic Inflation: SPHEREx will investigate cosmic inflation, a theory explaining how the universe expanded faster than the speed of light in the moments following the Big Bang.
    • This expansion occurred around 14 billion years ago and is believed to have shaped the structure of the universe as we know it.
    • SPHEREx will measure the 3D positions of about 450 million galaxies, providing critical data to test various theories surrounding cosmic inflation.
  • Exploring Life-Forming Molecules in the Milky Way: SPHEREx will also explore the Milky Way galaxy to identify biogenic molecules—the building blocks of life, such as carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen—frozen in icy particles in some of the coldest regions of the galaxy.
    • These molecules are thought to be crucial for the formation of life on Earth.
    • SPHEREx will help scientists determine how these molecules are distributed within the Milky Way and explore how they might have traveled to Earth, potentially providing key insights into the origins of life
• Significance: The data collected by SPHEREx will enhance our understanding of the early universe, the growth of galaxies, and the conditions necessary for life. By mapping the entire sky and studying distant cosmic phenomena, SPHEREx will complement existing missions like the James Webb Space Telescope and provide a broader, more complete picture of the universe’s history.