Euclid, a new space telescope, has successfully obtained its initial test images, providing a glimpse into the potential of revolutionizing our understanding of the cosmos. The images serve as a significant milestone, verifying the telescope’s function, refining its operation, and paving the way for future groundbreaking scientific exploration.
Euclid’s two instruments, the VISible instrument (VIS) and the Near-Infrared Spectrometer and Photometer (NISP), captured their first test images. These mesmerizing results indicate that the space telescope will not only achieve its designed scientific goals but potentially exceed expectations.
While there are still months to go before Euclid delivers its true new view of the cosmos, reaching this milestone is a testament to the confidence scientists and engineers have in the telescope and its instruments.
Euclid’s project manager, Giuseppe Racca, expressed his exhilaration and emotion after more than 11 years of designing and developing Euclid. Racca highlighted the significance of these first images, emphasizing that the fully calibrated Euclid will ultimately observe billions of galaxies, creating the largest-ever 3D map of the sky.
ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher congratulated the Euclid team on the success, expressing full confidence in the mission’s potential to reveal more about the 95% of the universe that remains largely unknown.
Carole Mundell, ESA’s Director of Science, echoed Aschbacher’s sentiments, acknowledging the tireless efforts of the Euclid team since the telescope’s launch on July 1st. Mundell stated that these initial engineering images offer a tantalizing glimpse of the remarkable data that Euclid is expected to provide.
Yannick Mellier, Euclid Consortium lead, celebrated the outstanding first images obtained using Euclid’s visible and near-infrared instruments. Mellier sees these images as the beginning of a new era in observational cosmology and statistical astronomy, uncovering the nature of dark energy.
Euclid’s VIS instrument will image the sky in visible light to capture sharp images of billions of galaxies and measure their shapes. The image taken during Euclid’s commissioning phase showcases the instrument’s focused capabilities, despite the presence of some unwanted artifacts.
Euclid’s NISP instrument, on the other hand, operates in infrared light, imaging galaxies and measuring their emitted light at various wavelengths. This functionality allows scientists to determine the distance of each galaxy. By combining this distance information with the measured galaxy shapes from the VIS instrument, Euclid will map the distribution of galaxies and gain insight into dark matter and dark energy.
The first images from both instruments highlight the extraordinary level of detail they can achieve. However, it’s important to note that the areas of the sky covered by these images are just a fraction of the full Moon’s width and height.
Both instruments collected light for a specific duration, with VIS collecting light for 566 seconds and NISP collecting light for 100 seconds. During regular operation, NISP is expected to collect light for roughly five times longer, providing a more comprehensive view of distant galaxies.
Despite initial challenges, including unexpected light contamination in the images, the Euclid team quickly identified the issue and adjusted the telescope’s orientation to avoid certain angles. This adjustment ensures the instruments can fulfill their mission without interference from sunlight.
These early test images mark a promising start for Euclid, offering a glimpse into the wondrous discoveries and advancements this space telescope could bring to our understanding of the universe.