NASA’s SPHEREx, a 500-kg megaphone-shaped space telescope launching from Vandenberg, will perform a two-year all-sky survey in 102 infrared wavelengths. It aims to create a detailed 3D map of 450 million galaxies and the Milky Way’s stars, investigating cosmic inflation, galaxy evolution, and searching for water and organic molecules thoroughly.
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NASA to launch SPHEREx, a space telescope designed to create a detailed 3D map of the entire sky in multiple infrared wavelengths.
NASA to launch Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer (SPHEREx) from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.
It will conduct a two-year, all-sky survey in optical and infrared light, mapping the universe in 102 infrared colors—a first in human history.
This megaphone-shaped telescope will cover 450 million galaxies and 100 million stars in the Milky Way, providing data on cosmic evolution and the building blocks of life.
The telescope weighs 500 kg, operates on 270–300 watts of solar power, and uses a triple-mirror design to capture wide-field images.
It is a space telescope designed to create a detailed 3D map of the entire sky in multiple infrared wavelengths, allowing scientists to study the origins of the universe, the formation of galaxies, and the potential building blocks of life by searching for water and other molecules in the Milky Way galaxy. |
To investigate the theory of cosmic inflation by studying the distribution of galaxies across the universe, potentially providing insights into the very early universe shortly after the Big Bang.
To map the distribution of galaxies across the cosmos, allowing researchers to study how galaxies formed and evolved over time.
To search for water and other organic molecules in star-forming regions of the Milky Way, potentially indicating potential habitable environments for planets.
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PRACTICE QUESTION Q. Consider the following statements about the concept of "dark energy:
How many of the above statements are incorrect? A) Only one B) Only two C) All three D) None Answer: B Explanation: Statement 1 is incorrect. Dark energy is not a form of dark matter. Dark matter is a non-gravitational, non-luminous substance contributing to mass density, while dark energy is a distinct, hypothetical energy driving cosmic acceleration. Statement 2 is correct. Dark energy is a hypothetical energy proposed to explain the universe's accelerating expansion. Statement 3 is incorrect. Dark energy's density remains constant as the universe expands, unlike matter or radiation, whose densities decrease with expansion. This constant density is a key factor in the accelerating expansion. |
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