NASA's upcoming SPHEREx space telescope, slated for launch in February 2025, is designed to conduct an all-sky survey in the near-infrared range. This unique capability enables SPHEREx to address certain scientific questions that the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) cannot.
SPHEREx will map the entire sky in 102 different colors of light, a feat that JWST, with its more focused and high-resolution observations, cannot accomplish. This all-sky survey will allow SPHEREx to:
- Probe the early universe: SPHEREx's observations will help scientists study the period of cosmic inflation, which occurred shortly after the Big Bang, and investigate how the first galaxies formed.
- Measure the total light from all galaxies: SPHEREx will measure the collective glow of all galaxies, including those too faint or distant for other telescopes to detect, providing a more complete understanding of the universe's light sources.
- Search for the building blocks of life: SPHEREx will identify and map the distribution of molecules like water and carbon dioxide in interstellar clouds, which are essential for the formation of stars, planets, and potentially life.
While JWST excels at detailed observations of specific targets, SPHEREx's wide-field survey will provide a valuable complement, offering a comprehensive view of the universe and identifying targets for further investigation by other telescopes like JWST.