As the telescope scans across these millions of targets, its detectors will make measurements of each point in the sky in 102 infrared wavelengths. With the help of spectroscopy, SPHEREx will measure how much water is bound up in these star-forming clouds.
“Knowing the water content around the galaxy is a clue to how many locations could potentially host life,” Akeson said.
The SPHEREx observatory (top) was joined on its ride to space by four small NASA satellites (bottom) setting out to study the solar wind. Credit: Benjamin Fry/BAE Systems
All-sky surveys like SPHEREx’s often turn up
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