Euclid maps 26 million galaxies over 10 billion years

The European Space Agency's Euclid space telescope has released its first dataset, which includes images of 26 million galaxies and spans 10 billion years of cosmic history. This data is expected to help scientists understand the expansion of the universe and the roles of dark energy and dark matter. Launched in July 2023, Euclid aims to study cosmic history and the unseen forces shaping the universe. So far, the telescope has published 34 scientific articles based on its findings. It has mapped only a small portion—0.5%—of what it will explore in its six-year mission. Among the notable discoveries are galaxies located up to 10.5 billion light-years away. These findings provide a new view of how galaxies are organized in the universe. The information gathered from a single week of observations could lead to significant advancements in understanding cosmic structures. Euclid is designed to collect about 100 gigabytes of data daily, totaling over two petabytes by the end of its mission. Scientists are looking forward to future data releases, with the next one expected to be 30 times larger than the current one, planned for October 2026. Additionally, Euclid uses techniques like gravitational lensing to map dark matter. Researchers have already identified around 500 strong gravitational lenses in its data. This supports the theories proposed by Albert Einstein about how light can be bent by massive objects. The mission has also benefitted from the help of over 1,000 citizen scientists who have participated in identifying important cosmic features through the Space Warps project. The collaboration includes more than 2,000 scientists from various countries, working together to enhance our understanding of the universe. As Euclid continues its mission, it will perform deeper observations to improve the resolution and detail of its findings. Scientists are excited about the potential discoveries awaiting them, as the telescope aims to become a key tool for measuring dark energy and expanding our knowledge of the cosmos.