SPHEREx to Map 450 Million Galaxies in Infrared

[{"selector":"#anim-497ba565-11d7-4eb0-9d8c-5f87d7cda4bc","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-279d0d0c-cad1-4302-a7d7-24cf92c7eb25","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.50632%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0a5b361a-0134-4406-81fa-1bd0aa702558","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d40ad745-c687-428f-9c28-54fbbfca3e1b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-122.3301%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":800,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] SPHEREx to Map 450 Million Galaxies in Infrared Karmactive Team

NASA's newest space telescope, SPHEREx, is ready to give us a fresh look at the universe when it launches on February 27, 2025.

[{"selector":"#anim-0d5704d7-0ef5-4b6f-bd97-3f441fda7323","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f882ab60-847e-4252-a79d-e83bf07c2a63","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.50632%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fad18d2e-6d59-426a-8d49-89fe3cda1e1b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-dc2d9fdc-a8d3-4611-a346-faf5195764d9","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-04df904b-a92a-48d1-9318-271e4be6f085","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: @NASA_LSP (X, Formerly Twitter)

The $488 million mission will map the entire sky in infrared light, creating the most detailed cosmic map ever made in 102 different infrared colors

[{"selector":"#anim-acf09607-f4db-4382-badd-d91cbda09763","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-59b7b8b2-db51-4809-8a0b-a8668d9bdf4d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 165.07938%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c194dfa4-3bd3-438b-a9e0-e0beb3a35fe1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-aacd6ca3-37e0-4c14-bac7-0450c2aa9c80","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -111.1955%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bfedf628-0b47-4fed-bf64-d9a0776da1a4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: @NASAJPL (X, Formerly Twitter)

Unlike JWST, SPHEREx has panoramic capabilities that allow it to capture a wider field of view, similar to how a camera's panorama mode can capture a large group of people and their surroundings.

[{"selector":"#anim-eb48172c-a904-4001-afa0-c966c093a3f9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-750dd5aa-ce5b-4c4c-80e8-9a9ccc0547b0","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f97b5089-244e-4fd2-adcf-7c8fc903ae1c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ad03026d-4204-4221-ad7d-29bf2270f431","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(113.60759%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5c3d387a-56f4-4041-b6c0-7a9858065fbd","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (CC BY 2.0)

SPHEREx will measure the total light from all galaxies throughout cosmic history, including those too faint or far away for other telescopes to see.

[{"selector":"#anim-3edb6282-0ab4-48be-93a3-0f53b84e4d53","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-44cda50d-40c4-4146-920b-ae4cd3c2729e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 163.78070%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d558ac12-cfe5-4f87-9b8a-19706cdf0b87","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fe40f65e-1e13-47bd-bbfe-6114f305792b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d93a2811-3c0f-49f7-aa22-0c387738a3fb","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: NASA Universe (CC BY 2.0)

The telescope will search our Milky Way galaxy for water and carbon dioxide frozen in space between stars, which could help explain how life might form on other planets.

[{"selector":"#anim-81601b0f-da1c-4c62-969d-783ed3e12b79","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-53cfccbe-02bc-4e89-b210-e29906b8b06a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-20e9e8fd-25db-4549-9ece-54ecadd136d7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c1b778a5-b1b0-4a88-b0f8-ea7a72d2b299","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e2f12dde-aa83-4385-9f84-7e0fca86f1ea","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Steve Jurvetson (CC BY 2.0)

To work properly, SPHEREx needs to stay extremely cold, around minus 350 degrees Fahrenheit and uses less power than a home refrigerator, about 270-300 watts.

[{"selector":"#anim-021ce59c-4eb5-47ad-9542-897877dca2c9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c9f107fc-3765-4084-9c2a-3250692dfb3f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 140.12348%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8e624828-3c3d-44fa-8a4d-ce4473fdb646","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3db0b4ff-a3c2-4395-bd08-7a46b83fc42a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1c907c4f-1d07-4624-90ec-e502bdffd599","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: @NASAJPL (X, Formerly Twitter)

The mission will share its SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket ride with NASA's PUNCH mission, Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere, which will study the Sun.

[{"selector":"#anim-8208deec-4a89-441d-af92-e9f5bba212e6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-43f7ab81-1522-4b04-94a5-7d43467d24fd","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-69fb8e6d-2d9d-4a09-900c-7117e8366904","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8240a0dc-64b1-4e8f-b932-e793648a6d6a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b2fe0332-e203-4957-b6ce-41fc7b1ba2bf","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: @NASASun (X, Formerly Twitter)

The mission is designed to run for two years, creating new maps of the entire sky every six months, which will be available to scientists within two months of each observation.

[{"selector":"#anim-cc790132-1d9f-4d41-bc1e-1b45f06302e8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0cde3ad9-b2dc-4651-beb2-3ee97732db32","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 140.67903%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f663a8a3-3adf-4c41-9c41-f9ff0c04a051","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8de39da6-647f-4150-b363-ec49c89d8711","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-67a7aa19-f945-4b34-8a17-f4d29ed39762","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Pablo Carlos Budassi (CC BY-SA 4.0)

[{"selector":"#anim-1c2585a4-a121-44d6-923c-b97aaf2bf176","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bc0d838e-6d6b-4220-8c36-c19d2ef2899d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6a5440e3-5df3-43dd-a937-204f62669925","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.50152%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c48e6413-181a-4208-8dab-506b1e279ec6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":700,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-12090918-a905-4f9b-9ba5-99ca04ae24bd","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.23810%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":700,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Blue Ghost's March 2 Moon Landing with 10 NASA Experiments Learn more