Nasa’s new telescope to map the universe in 3D
The telescope will capture a three-dimensional map of the universe, collecting data on more than 450 million galaxies and over 100 million stars
Nasa launched its latest space observatory, the SPHEREx telescope, on Tuesday, 11 March from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Carried into orbit by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, the telescope is set to explore the origins of the universe and map hidden reservoirs of water in the Milky Way.
Short for 'Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization, and Ices Explorer,' SPHEREx will spend the next two years scanning the heavens. Unlike previous telescopes, this one will capture a three-dimensional map of the universe, collecting data on more than 450 million galaxies and over 100 million stars.
Using a technique called spectroscopy, it will split light into 102 different colours, allowing scientists to analyse its composition and distance from Earth.
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A key focus of SPHEREx's mission is to study cosmic inflation — the rapid expansion of the universe that took place in the first fraction of a second after the big bang. Scientists hope the telescope will provide clues about this mysterious process, shedding light on how the universe came to be.
Closer to home, the telescope will also search for water and other life-sustaining molecules frozen in interstellar clouds. These vast dust clouds, where stars and planets form, could hold clues about how water and essential elements for life originated in space.
Accompanying SPHEREx on the journey was a separate mission called PUNCH, consisting of four small satellites designed to study solar wind. By observing the Sun's outer atmosphere, PUNCH will help scientists understand space weather, which can affect satellites and power grids on Earth.
