The Euclid space telescope, a €1bn (£850m) European Space Agency (Esa) mission, has unveiled its first images, providing a tantalizing glimpse into the “dark universe”. The mission is focused on dark matter and dark energy, which collectively make up 95% of the universe but remain shrouded in mystery.
The first images captured by the telescope showcase the Perseus galaxy cluster and Horsehead nebula in stunning detail, as well as approximately 100,000 galaxies in a single snapshot. This demonstrates the telescope’s unparalleled ability to make precise observations across vast expanses of space.
Ultimately, the Euclid telescope aims to create the largest cosmic 3D map ever made, enabling astronomers to infer the large-scale distribution of dark matter and reveal the influence of dark energy in the early universe. Dark matter serves as a cosmic glue holding galaxies together, while dark energy is an enigmatic force thought to be accelerating the expansion of the universe.
Prof Carole Mundell, the Esa’s director of science, expressed excitement about the mission’s potential to push the frontiers of scientific knowledge “beyond Einstein”. “As humans, we’ve managed to figure out how 5% of the universe works and we’ve also figured out that there’s another 95% that remains unknown to us,” she said. “We can’t travel out to the edge of the universe to investigate, but we’re bringing those images back to Earth and studying them on computers – and for only €1.4bn. I think it’s magical.”
Over the next six years, Euclid will observe approximately 8bn galaxies using infrared and visible light across 36% of the night sky. By analyzing the distortion of light from distant galaxies caused by the gravitational field of dark matter, astronomers hope to infer a map of dark matter distribution across the night sky and throughout the history of the universe.
The mission may not initially reveal the nature of dark matter, but it is expected to provide insights into its whereabouts and behavior. Additionally, researchers will study the motion of galaxies to gain a precise understanding of the forces of gravity and the impact of dark energy on the expansion of space.
René Laureijs, the Esa’s Euclid project scientist, commented on the unprecedented detail and beauty of the captured images, stating, “We have never seen astronomical images like this before, containing so much detail. They are even more beautiful and sharp than we could have hoped for, showing us many previously unseen features in well-known areas of the nearby universe. Now we are ready to observe billions of galaxies and study their evolution over cosmic time.”
The Euclid space telescope’s first images have opened a window into the dark universe, promising to unlock long-held secrets and bring about a deeper understanding of the cosmos.