NASA's SPHEREx space telescope, launched on March 11, has successfully activated its detectors and captured its first images, revealing tens of thousands of stars and galaxies. The images, taken on March 27, confirm the telescope's systems are functioning as expected and properly focused.
The telescope will map the entire celestial sky four times over the next two years, gathering data on over 450 million galaxies and 100 million stars in the Milky Way. This data will be combined with results from smaller telescopes to enhance understanding of the universe.
SPHEREx, short for Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer, operates by detecting infrared light, capturing up to 102 shades in each six-image exposure. These color variations allow scientists to analyze the composition of celestial objects and determine the distance to galaxies. Routine science operations are scheduled to begin in late April, with the telescope taking approximately 600 exposures daily.
The mission aims to study the universe's physics and the origins of water in our galaxy, as well as capture images of faint, distant galaxies. Unlike Hubble and James Webb, SPHEREx takes a broader view of the sky, providing a more comprehensive perspective.