NASA's SPHEREx Nears Science Operations After First Images

NASA's SPHEREx space telescope, launched on March 11, has successfully captured its first images, confirming that all systems are operational and focused correctly. The initial images, taken on March 27, are colored differently to represent a range of infrared wavelengths and show tens of thousands of stars and galaxies. SPHEREx aims to map millions of galaxies and study cosmic phenomena such as the universe's physics and the origins of water in our galaxy. Each image contains more than 100,000 detected light sources and is captured by one of the telescope's six detectors. The telescope will begin routine science operations in late April, taking about 600 exposures a day, and is capable of detecting infrared light, which allows scientists to study the composition and distance of celestial objects. These efforts will contribute to understanding the history of the universe and other astrophysical phenomena.