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New Telescope to Probe the Reionization Epoch.

An illustration of a space telescope orbiting above Earth, with its large, multi-faceted photon shield and solar panels extended. The background features a detailed view of the cosmos, including the Milky Way and deep space. This depiction emphasizes the telescope's role in observing and studying the universe from its vantage point in space.

Spherex will provide unprecedented views of the earliest stages of cosmic history. Known as the Spectro-Photometer, which will study the Epoch of Reionization.

During its scheduled two-year mission, the SPHEREx Observatory aims to gather information on over 450 million galaxies and over 100 million stars within the Milky Way to investigate the beginnings of the universe.


Probing the reionization epoch in great detail

Using advanced tech, it will be able to detect faint microwaves from the early universe, which means Spherex can go back further than any other instrument before it, even further than JWST, revealing what the cosmos looked like just after the Big Bang, when stars and galaxies formed for the first time.

An illustration of a space telescope with labeled components:  Photon shields (cutaway) Wide-field telescope Passive cooling system Spacecraft bus provided by Ball A detailed inset shows the telescope's optical system:  Short-wave focal plane assembly Dichroic beam splitter Mid-wave focal plane assembly Mirrors 1, 2, and 3 The diagram highlights the complex design and functionality of the telescope, emphasizing its ability to capture and analyze a wide range of wavelengths.

The study will also examine the era of reionization, when cosmic radiation transformed hydrogen gas from its neutral state into the ionized plasma we see today in intergalactic space..

An illustration depicting the era of reionization

Its state-of-the-art detectors will also uncover hidden facets of the universe by capturing infrared light from distant, early galaxies, as well as the infrared glow from newly forming stars obscured by dust. It will analyze interstellar ice and molecules, providing clues to the raw materials from which planetary systems coalesced.




As our guide to the invisible universe, Spherex will illuminate mysteries about the origins of cosmic structure, star birth, and chemical enrichment over cosmic time.




Space Science


The amount of space science this observatory will bring is outstanding.

First Near-Infrared All-Sky Spectral Data for Astronomy Community

Number

Galaxies

>450 million

Exoplanet target stars

>600,000

Quasars

>1 milion

X-ray counterparts

>100,000

Clusters

>100,000

Stars with hot dust

>1,000

Ateroids and comets

>100,000


Emerged from the Cooling of the Universe.

Prior to reionization, the universe was filled with neutral hydrogen gas. But as the first celestial bodies ignited, their energetic radiation re-ionized this hydrogen by stripping electrons off the atoms. Spherex will map out this monumental transition in the state of matter throughout cosmic history. By seeing when and where reionization occurred, we will better understand how cosmic structure emerged from the cooling of the early universe to make this crucial transformation possible.

Following the formation of the initial stars, the universe remained enveloped in a gaseous haze. However, as stars and fledgling galaxies progressed and emitted increasingly powerful light, they started altering the surrounding gas, shifting it from neutral to ionized. Ultimately, they reshaped the cosmos, enabling the observation of these early galaxies.


A series of four images illustrating the stages of the universe's evolution:

The reionization of hydrogen was only possible because of the rapid cooling of the universe after the Big Bang. As temperatures dropped, electrons and protons were able to combine into neutral hydrogen atoms. This allowed matter to begin clumping under gravity, leading to the formation of the first stars and galaxies.



A graph depicting the Cosmic Radiation Temperature (K) over time elapsed since the Big Bang (seconds). The x-axis spans from  1 0 − 43 10  −43   seconds to  1 0 17 10  17   seconds, marking significant events in the universe's evolution. The y-axis shows temperature ranging from  1 0 32 10  32   K to  1 0 0 10  0   K.  Key events highlighted are:  Earliest era: rules unknown Forces are unified Radiation dominates Protons and anti-protons form Electrons and positrons form Atoms form Galaxies form Stars form The graph illustrates a decreasing temperature trend over time, signifying the cooling of the universe as it expands.

Governed by the laws of thermodynamics, as universe expanded and cooled after the Big Bang, the second law of thermodynamics drove it toward higher entropy and disorder on the largest scales. Clumps of matter were able to form and eventually light up as the first stars and galaxies because of small regions of reduced local entropy.



This simulation shows how the universe changed over time as it cooled.


The overall increase in entropy allowed the universe to cool from an extremely hot initial state down to temperatures where matter could coalesce. Thermodynamic principles guided the emergence of complexity from simplicity in the early universe.


As other telescopes like Hubble and Webb can peer back in time, Spherex will be capable of observing the reionization era in greater detail, just beyond the reach of even the powerful Webb telescope. We can't wait for it to be launched.


 


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1 comment

1 Comment


Guest
May 05

Very interesting.

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