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Stargazing Lecture

Friday, March 15, 2024
8:00pm to 10:00pm
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Cahill Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics
SPHEREx: Zooming Out to See the Big Picture
Jamie Bock, Professor, Department of Physics, Caltech,
  • Public Event

Stargazing is dependent on clear weather, but lecture and Q&A happen regardless. Event will occur in-person, with lecture and Q&A additionally live-streamed on YouTube.


For remote viewers, the event will be live-streamed here:
https://youtube.com/live/ilUyZnRYOgM?feature=share

8:00–8:45 p.m. - Public Lecture
8:45–9:45 p.m. - Panel Q&A and Guided Stargazing

SPHEREx is a NASA space telescope that will observe the sky in near-infrared light, taking images that cover the entire sky four times over its 2-year mission. The telescope incorporates a novel spectrograph for splitting the incoming light into its constituent colors, providing a detailed picture of the whole sky across 102 infrared color bands. This unique dataset will provide insight on everything from how our solar system formed to the very origin of our universe. SPHEREx will survey the abundance of water ice in the early formation of planetary systems, chart the light produced by galaxies over cosmic history, and probe the exotic physics associated with the Big Bang. Having recently completed assembly and testing, the scientific instrument is beginning integration with the spacecraft in preparation for a launch in early 2025.

About the Series

Stargazing Lectures are free lectures at a public level followed by a Q&A panel and guided stargazing with telescopes (weather permitting). All events are held at the Cahill Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics at Caltech and are Free and open to all. No reservations are needed. Lectures are 30 minutes; stargazing and panel Q&A last 60 minutes. Stay only as long as you want.

Stargazing is only possible with clear skies, but the lecture and panel Q&A take place regardless of weather.

For directions, weather updates, and more information, please visit: http://outreach.astro.caltech.edu.

For more information, please contact Cameron Hummels by email at chummels@caltech.edu.