NASA’s SPHEREx Telescope: A Revolutionary Map of the Cosmos

NASA’s SPHEREx Telescope: A Revolutionary Map of the Cosmos

Sub : Sci

Sec: Space sector

Why in News

NASA is set to launch the SPHEREx telescope (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization, and Ices Explorer). It aims to answer fundamental questions about cosmic evolution, galaxy formation, and the presence of life-bearing molecules in space.

SPHEREx Mission:

• SPHEREx is a compact yet highly advanced infrared telescope.
• It will operate for two years, capturing spectroscopic images that measure the wavelengths of light from cosmic objects.
• The telescope will divide light from all celestial bodies into 96 spectral bands, providing a deeper understanding of the universe’s chemistry and physics.
• SPHEREx will be the first all-sky infrared spectroscopic survey, filling critical gaps left by other space telescopes.
• Unlike telescopes like James Webb and Hubble, which focus on high-resolution images of specific cosmic regions, SPHEREx will map the entire sky in a short span.
• The telescope will survey the entire sky multiple times.
• It is expected to capture:
  • Spectroscopic images of 1 billion galaxies
  • Data on 100 million stars
  • Information on 10,000 asteroids

Objectives of SPHEREx:

• Understanding Cosmic Inflation: Cosmic inflation refers to the rapid expansion of the universe immediately after the Big Bang.
• Locating Life-Bearing Molecules: The telescope will identify biogenic molecules (such as water, carbon dioxide, and methanol) in interstellar gas clouds.
• The study of icy biogenic molecules will help determine the conditions required for life formation in space.