The first fragment released by the European Space Agency can be zoomed in on up to 600 times the full view.
Scientists will use the map to better understand the distribution of dark matter and dark energy.
The Euclid telescope, operated by the European Space Agency (ESA), has completed the first segment of the cosmic mosaic it’s creating from the second Lagrangian point (L2), located 1 million miles from Earth. The 208-gigapixel image represents only 1% of the most detailed 3D map of the universe that Euclid aims to complete over the next six years.
The initial portion of the map includes millions of stars and galaxies captured by the Euclid space telescope during 260 consecutive observations between March 25 and April 8, 2024. In those two weeks, Euclid covered an area of 132 square degrees in the southern sky, which is more than 500 times the area of the full Moon as seen from Earth.
The ESA has identified 100 million light sources in the image, which include stars in the Milky Way and galaxies beyond our own. Of these galaxies, 14 million are bright enough for researchers to conduct detailed studies on the influence of dark matter and dark energy in the universe.
An Unprecedented Viewpoint Into the Vast Space Fabric
Euclid’s main objective is to create the largest 3D cosmic map ever made. This mission will observe the shapes, distances, and motions of billions of galaxies, extending from our position in the cosmos to 10 billion light-years away.
Through this work, scientists aim to better understand the distribution of dark matter and dark energy. Together, they account for 95% of the universe and remain largely unknown.
Dark matter is an invisible form of matter that neither emits, absorbs, or reflects light. In fact, its existence is inferred from its gravitational effects on visible matter. Dark matter helps hold galaxies together and plays a crucial role in the universe’s large-scale structure. For its part, dark energy is the force that accelerates the universe’s expansion, pushing apart cosmic structures that gravity attempts to bind.
Euclid’s cameras are extremely sensitive and magnify the mosaic up to 600 times its full view. This allows for a detailed appreciation of the intricate structure of galaxies and their interactions with neighboring galaxies.
Ultimately, ESA’s mapping of the universe will allow astronomers to analyze detailed statistics on the distribution and evolution of galaxies. They’ll be able to investigate why certain galaxies ceased forming stars billions of years ago and how galaxies interact with one another.
The blue clouds visible against the black background of space are known as galactic cirrus clouds. These structures, composed of gas and dust, reflect light from the Milky Way and emit in the near-infrared spectrum. Studying these clouds is crucial for understanding the processes of star formation in our home galaxy.
Euclid is a European mission developed and operated by the ESA, with contributions from NASA. This project, which is in its early stages, involves more than 2,000 scientists from 300 institutes across 15 countries, including in the U.S., Canada, Japan, and Europe.
Image | Jeremy Thomas | European Space Agency
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