Imagine being able to look at the entire universe in colors the human eye cannot see. That’s exactly what NASA’s SPHEREx mission is doing, and it’s inviting the entire world to explore the cosmos alongside it. Launched in March and now orbiting Earth, SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization, and Ices Explorer) is a powerful space telescope with a bold mission: to create the most detailed all-sky infrared map ever produced. But what truly makes this mission special isn’t just its scientific goals; it’s how it plans to share its discoveries with everyone.

Seeing the Universe in 102 Colors

While past missions like NASA’s WISE scanned the universe in four infrared bands, SPHEREx pushes the boundaries by capturing data in 102 infrared wavelengths. Think of it like looking at a black-and-white photo versus a full-color panorama. With this added richness, SPHEREx can detect hidden features in space—such as icy molecules and organic compounds that may be crucial to understanding how life began. SPHEREx uses a technique called spectroscopy, which allows scientists to identify specific molecules by analyzing how they interact with light. This enables the study of frozen water and complex carbon-based molecules spread across the Milky Way—ingredients that could one day point us to the origins of life.

Weekly Data Drops: A Gift to the World

In a move that reflects NASA’s growing commitment to open science, SPHEREx has begun releasing its data to the public just 60 days after it's collected. Every week, new data is uploaded to IRSA, NASA's Infrared Science Archive hosted at Caltech’s IPAC center in California. This openness allows astronomers, educators, and even students to dive into the same raw cosmic information that top researchers use. Before data reaches the archive, it goes through careful processing. This includes removing errors from detectors, correcting any image distortions, and precisely aligning the images with celestial coordinates. NASA also releases documentation and processing steps, making it easier for others to understand and build upon the mission’s work.

Mapping the Sky—Twice a Year

SPHEREx’s mission is scheduled to last for two years, during which it will map the entire sky twice annually, creating a total of four full-sky maps. These aren’t just pictures; they are deep, layered views of the cosmos that reveal how galaxies evolved, how stars form, and even how the early universe expanded after the Big Bang. By the one-year mark, the team aims to release the first complete map of the sky in all 102 wavelengths—a resource of enormous value to scientists and citizen astronomers alike. 

At its heart, SPHEREx is a mission built on a simple, profoundly human idea: our desire to understand the universe. Whether you're a professional astronomer probing the age of galaxies or a student gazing at nebulae for the first time, SPHEREx welcomes you. NASA’s open science philosophy ensures that space exploration isn’t limited to astronauts and scientists; it’s something everyone can be a part of. From classrooms to observatories, from professionals to hobbyists, the data released by SPHEREx could inspire discoveries that shape our understanding of the universe for generations. 

Want to Explore?

To access SPHEREx data and begin your own cosmic journey, visit https://irsa.ipac.caltech.edu. You can also sign up for NASA’s Open Science newsletter to stay updated on the latest discoveries and data releases.

We all share the same sky. With SPHEREx, NASA is ensuring we can all share in the exploration of it, too.