The European Space Agency’s (ESA) Euclid Space Telescope has released its first images of three Deep Fields, providing a glimpse into the large-scale structure of the Universe. Launched in July 2023, the telescope aims to probe the history of the Universe’s expansion by imaging billions of galaxies out to 10 billion light-years away.
The Euclid telescope features a powerful camera that can take detailed images of objects like the Horsehead Nebula. However, its main job is to map the distribution of dark matter and regular matter in the Universe, which is crucial for understanding galaxy formation over time.
The first data release from Euclid includes a preview of its Deep Fields, which will be imaged repeatedly for extended periods. This will help scientists uncover how dark matter is distributed throughout the Universe. The images have already revealed gravitational lenses, galaxy clusters, and differently-shaped galaxies.
Euclid’s mission is expected to provide a treasure trove of information for scientists, enabling them to explore our cosmic history and the invisible forces shaping our Universe. With its unprecedented surveying capabilities, Euclid will likely become foundational in our understanding of the cosmic web, dark matter, and dark energy.
The telescope has already spotted 26 million galaxies, with many more to come during its lifetime. When completed, Euclid will have created a catalogue of galaxy morphologies that’s “at least an order of magnitude more galaxies than ever measured before.” The ESA is committed to enabling scientific progress for generations to come with the release of this data.
The full potential of Euclid to learn more about dark matter and dark energy from the large-scale structure of the cosmic web will be reached only when it has completed its entire survey. However, the volume of this first data release already offers a unique first glance at the large-scale organisation of galaxies, which can be used to learn more about galaxy formation over time.
The ESA’s Euclid mission is a goldmine of data, with far-reaching impacts on our understanding of galaxy evolution and cosmology goals. As the telescope continues its work, it will provide unparalleled insights into the mysteries of dark matter and energy, paving the way for future breakthroughs in astronomical science.
Source: https://www.sciencealert.com/euclids-first-deep-fields-images-offer-glimpse-into-dark-universe