ESA’s Euclid Telescope Unveils First Images for 3D Map of the Universe
The European Space Agency’s Euclid telescope has captured its first stunning images for the largest 3D map of the universe. This cosmic atlas, featuring 208 gigapixels of data, showcases around 14 million galaxies, covering 1% of the southern sky. Over the next six years, Euclid will map over one-third of the sky, revealing insights into dark matter and dark energy—two major mysteries in cosmology. The Euclid mission will enhance our understanding of the universe’s expansion, the formation of galaxies, and the influence of dark forces.
The universe, spanning 93 billion light-years in diameter, is unimaginably vast. However, scientists at the European Space Agency (ESA) are making strides in mapping it. Using the Euclid telescope, they’ve captured the first stunning images for the largest 3D map of the universe ever created. These images form part of what’s being called a ‘cosmic atlas.’
This massive mosaic, made up of 208 gigapixels of image data, covers a section of the southern sky more than 500 times the area of the full moon. With approximately 14 million galaxies represented, this only accounts for 1% of the total sky survey that will be completed over the next six years. The primary aim of the survey is to shed light on two of the universe’s greatest enigmas: dark matter and dark energy.
Dark matter consists of particles that neither absorb, reflect, nor emit light, while dark energy is believed to be causing the universe’s accelerated expansion by pushing galaxies apart. Valeria Pettorino, Euclid’s project scientist at ESA, highlighted the significance of this initial image, stating that in six years, it will help reveal more than one-third of the sky.
In these first images, a “special feature” is visible: faint clouds of gas and dust between stars in the Milky Way, seen as light blue against the blackness of space. The core of the galaxy cluster Abell 3381, located 678 million light-years from Earth, is also visible.
The Euclid mission will chart the universe across both space and time, observing billions of galaxies up to 10 billion light-years away. This will allow scientists to better understand how the universe expanded and how structures formed throughout cosmic history. The mission will also offer new insights into the nature of gravity, dark energy, and dark matter. Euclid’s ability to capture these details is thanks to its highly sensitive optical camera, VIS, developed by a team led by researchers at University College London and supported by the Open University.
Dr. Jesper Skottfelt from the Open University described the Euclid mission as a significant advancement in uncovering the mysteries of the dark universe.