A team of international researchers led by Yale Professor Priyamvada Natarajan will utilize the upcoming launch of NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope to study dark matter, a mysterious substance thought to comprise most of the universe. The telescope’s advanced camera will enable precise measurements of gravitational lensing, allowing researchers to detect smaller dark matter structures.
Gravitational lenses are pairs of galaxies that act as cosmic magnifying glasses, enabling scientists to peer deeper into the universe. Dark matter does not emit or absorb light but has mass, which generates gravity and causes gravitational lensing. The detection of dark matter is crucial for understanding the evolution of the universe.
The Roman Space Telescope will be capable of detecting over 160,000 gravitational lenses, including 500 suitable for studying dark matter structure. This will provide a significant advancement in understanding dark matter substructure through high-resolution observations.
“The findings underscore the potential of Roman in advancing strong lensing studies and enhancing our understanding of dark matter substructure,” said Natarajan. The telescope’s camera will allow researchers to accurately determine the bending of light by as little as 50 milliarcseconds, a crucial step in detecting smaller dark matter structures.
The research team will combine images from the Roman Space Telescope with those from other missions, including ESA’s Euclid and Hubble, to maximize their understanding of galaxies. This study is expected to provide valuable insights into the evolution of the universe and the nature of dark matter.
Source: https://americanbazaaronline.com/2025/06/16/nasas-roman-telescope-to-peer-deeper-into-the-universe-463753