The Euclid telescope is creating the largest 3D map of the universe. Here’s the first piece
After more than a decade in the making, the European Space Agency’s Euclid telescope has finally launched into space. On July 1, 2023, Euclid embarked on its mission to map the evolution of the universe for the past 10 billion years, with the aim of uncovering some of the biggest mysteries of the cosmos: the nature of dark energy and dark matter. To achieve this, the telescope will chart the distribution of galaxies across the vast expanse of space, providing the largest-ever 3D map of the universe.
Dark energy, a mysterious force driving the accelerating expansion of the universe, accounts for 68 percent of the total energy density of the cosmos. However, scientists are yet to grasp its nature. Meanwhile, dark matter, the enigmatic invisible material that binds galaxies, contributes to the remaining 27 percent. Only about 5 percent of the universe consists of the familiar matter we interact with daily, leaving scientists to ponder the mysteries of dark energy and dark matter.
Euclid is tasked with unraveling these mysteries. The telescope’s primary objectives include precisely measuring the accelerating expansion of the universe, tracing the formation and evolution of large-scale structures like galaxy clusters, and shedding light on the nature of dark energy and dark matter. Its meticulous measurements will allow researchers to analyze how the universe has evolved over the past 10 billion years, revealing the subtle gravitational influences of these mysterious forces.
The Euclid telescope operates from its perch at the second Lagrange point (L2) about 1.5 million kilometers away from Earth. Situated in a stable region of gravitational balance, L2 provides an ideal vantage point for the telescope, shielding it from the heat and light of the sun and the Earth. Euclid’s mission promises to deliver groundbreaking discoveries in cosmology.
Equipped with two main instruments, the telescope has the capability to view billions of galaxies in unprecedented detail. The VIS instrument captures images of galaxies in visible light, providing essential information on their shapes, sizes, and redshifts. Meanwhile, the NISP instrument meticulously records the light from distant galaxies, analyzing their distribution and subtle shifts in their colors due to cosmic expansion, enabling scientists to map the distribution of matter over vast stretches of space.
The early stages of Euclid’s observations, shared on September 12, 2023, have unveiled an expansive, never-before-seen swathe of the universe, showcasing over 100,000 galaxies. This initial data set covers a relatively small portion of the sky, a mere two square degrees compared to the total area that Euclid aims to map, encompassing 15,000 square degrees. While these first observations only encompass a sliver of Euclid’s ultimate target, they showcase the sheer scale and detail the mission is capable of achieving.
Euclid’s data will be analyzed over a period of six years. Its mission extends far beyond simply capturing images and recording spectra; it aims to chart a comprehensive history of the universe’s evolution and shed light on the enigmatic nature of dark energy and dark matter, advancing our understanding of the cosmos.
With the completion of Euclid’s observations, the astronomical community will be presented with an unprecedented treasure trove of information, revolutionizing our understanding of the universe and propelling us toward unraveling the enigmatic mysteries of dark energy and dark matter.
