NASA’s SPHEREx space telescope, which launched in March, has produced its first infrared map of the whole sky in an impressive 102 colors. While we can’t see these colors with our eyes, they play a vital role in exploring the universe. This data helps us investigate how the universe evolved, including the formation of galaxies and the essential building blocks for life.
Shawn Domagal-Goldman, the head of NASA’s Astrophysics Division, shared his excitement about the mission’s findings. He noted that SPHEREx has given astronomers “102 new maps of the sky,” which will deepen our understanding of cosmic history and the processes that led to our existence.
SPHEREx, which stands for the Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, travels around Earth 14½ times daily. It continually captures images, creating a complete 360-degree view of the sky. After just six months, SPHEREx gathered enough data to provide a mosaic of the entire sky.
This mission, managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, will complete four all-sky scans over its two-year primary operation. Combining these scans will enhance our ability to gather sensitive measurements.
Beth Fabinsky, the project manager for SPHEREx, highlighted its unique capabilities. Unlike other missions, SPHEREx can capture images in a wide variety of infrared wavelengths. This gives it an edge in detecting cosmic features obscured from view.
With its six detectors and special filters, SPHEREx can capture intricate data about stars, galaxies, and the areas where new planets form. Its ability to create 3D maps of galaxies opens new pathways for understanding how they cluster across the universe.
One critical focus for SPHEREx is to shed light on a remarkable event known as inflation, which occurred at the universe’s beginning. During inflation, the universe expanded exponentially, and understanding this phenomenon could answer fundamental questions about our existence.
As data continues to be processed and made publicly available, scientists from across the world, including teams from South Korea and Taiwan, are collaborating to analyze this treasure trove of information.
For more about this groundbreaking mission, check out NASA’s SPHEREx page.
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Astrophysics, Galaxies, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Origin & Evolution of the Universe, SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe and Ices Explorer), The Search for Life, The Universe
