CIBER (The Cosmic Infrared Background Experiment) is a sounding rocket payload designed to characterize the near infrared (IR) background light. CIBER is built by an international collaboration of Universities and Government Laboratories which has flown twice and, having acquired a data set which is not possible from other platforms, will soon shed new light on the nature of the Cosmos.

The Extragalactic Infrared Background (EBL) is the integrated light from all of the infrared sources in the Universe. In the near IR, these photons are produced by stars are a by-product of nucleosynthesis. Measurement of the near IR EBL therefore a constrains the stellar content of the Universe.

CIBER is composed of three instruments, each with different science goals, but all measuring some aspect of the near IR background.

The Imagers search for fluctuations arising in the near IR EBL from the first generation of stars and galaxies in the Universe.

The Low Resolution Spectrometer measure the color of the near IR EBL, thereby constraining the stellar content of the Cosmos.

The Narrow Band Spectrometer determines the brightness of the Zodiacal Light, which is due to dust in the solar system reflecting the light from the sun.