(CLO) With high resolution, the Euclid telescope has just released the first images with millions of stars and galaxies - and those are just small "pieces" in the cosmic map that this tool is building.
Launched in July 2023, the European Space Agency (ESA) expects its 3D map of the universe to be the largest and most accurate ever, helping us better understand the structure and distribution of matter in the universe.
Part of the night sky visible from Earth's Southern Hemisphere. Photo: ESA
Using 260 observations from March 25 to April 8, scientists have created the first piece of the map of the universe with a resolution of up to 208 gigapixels. However, this is just the first step in the giant map that Euclid will draw in the future, it will measure the shape, distance and movement of billions of galaxies.
The mosaic, which includes about 100 million stars and galaxies, was unveiled on October 15 at the International Astronautical Congress in Milan, Italy.
“This stunning image is the first part of a map that will reveal more than a third of the universe over the next six years. It’s just 1% of the map, but it contains a wealth of information that will help scientists explore the universe,” said Valeria Pettorino, Euclid project scientist at ESA.
Astronomers call the clouds of gas and dust trapped in this mosaic a “galactic circus.” Photo: ESA
One of Euclid’s main missions is to explore dark matter and dark energy – two mysterious entities lurking behind the veil of the universe. Although never seen, dark matter is thought to make up 85% of all matter in the universe, while dark energy is the mysterious repulsive force that is causing the universe to expand at an ever-accelerating rate.
By observing millions of galaxies, astronomers hope to discover invisible energies that influence the structure and expansion of the universe.
A new perspective on the universe
Euclid has a much broader field of view than the James Webb Space Telescope, allowing it to observe a swath of sky more than 100 times larger. With its highly sensitive cameras, Euclid will still be able to capture fine details of individual celestial objects, complementing the panoramic images it collects.
For example, the delicate structure of a spiral galaxy in the Abell 3381 cluster, located 470 million light-years away, can be seen in the image. In addition, the pale blue clouds between the stars are also clearly visible.
The spiral structure of a galaxy in the galaxy cluster Abell 3381 can be seen when magnified 150 times. Image: ESA
The Euclid telescope's first images were released in November 2023, but it began scientific observations in February. To date, the mission has completed 12% of its planned survey of the universe.
"This new image marks a major milestone in Euclid's mission. It not only gives us beautiful images of the universe, but also opens the door to exploring billions of galaxies in detail, helping us better understand the structure and evolution of the universe," said Jason Rhodes, Euclid project scientist at NASA.
Searching for evidence of the invisible
In the 1920s, astronomers Georges Lemaître and Edwin Hubble discovered that the universe had been expanding since its birth 13.8 billion years ago. However, by the 1990s, researchers discovered that the rate of expansion of the universe was not merely steady, but was mysteriously accelerating.
Understanding the true nature of dark energy and dark matter will be key to unlocking the mysteries of the origin and evolution of the universe. Through this, scientists can understand what the universe is made of, how its expansion has changed over time, and whether there is more to gravity than meets the eye. In addition, dark matter and dark energy are also thought to play an important role in determining the distribution and motion of objects such as galaxies and stars in the universe.
Euclid is designed to create a detailed 3D map of the universe, tracking the expansion of the universe and the distribution of dark matter over the past 10 billion years. This will help us better understand how the universe formed and evolved.
Zooming in 600 times on a section of the map reveals galaxies in the Abell 3381 cluster, located 470 million light-years from Earth. Photo: ESA
The Euclid telescope will produce a vast trove of data about the universe, including detailed information about 1.5 billion galaxies. With this data, astronomers will be able to determine the mass of each galaxy and the number of stars it creates each year.
“What really blows my mind is the detail Euclid can see, from tiny star clusters to the largest structures in the universe,” said Mike Seiffert, NASA project scientist at JPL. “These first images are the first hints of what Euclid will bring.”
Ha Trang (according to CNN)
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