Virtual Content Has No Border

Tag: euclid

  • Euclid Telescope: Illuminating the Dark Mysteries of the Universe

    Euclid Telescope: Illuminating the Dark Mysteries of the Universe

    In the world of science, one of the biggest questions is: How was the universe created? To find answers to this question, a European telescope launched into space from Florida, USA, called Euclid, will capture images of billions of galaxies and create a precise three-dimensional map of the cosmos.

    Euclid

    Researchers admit that they still know very little about dark matter and dark energy. None of these can be directly observed. Now, the Euclid mission will use its specially designed three-dimensional map to help scientists understand how dark energy and dark matter have influenced the time and space of the universe.

    Isobel Hook, a professor of astrophysics and teacher at Lancaster University in the UK, says that due to this lack of knowledge, we cannot provide a definitive explanation about the origin of our universe.

    She explains, “This mission will be somewhat like traveling on a spaceship before knowing where Earth is located, how we arrived at our current state, and how all the galaxies, solar systems, and life forms emerged since the Big Bang moment.”

    Initially, this mission was led by the European Space Agency (ESA), but NASA, the United States’ space research agency, has also made significant contributions, especially in the telescope’s science and engineering.

    Previously conducted research suggests that about 70% of the energy in the universe is dark energy. About 25% is dark matter, and the remaining 5% consists of visible objects like stars, planets, gases, dust, galaxies, and other observable matter.

    To gain an understanding of this mysterious 95% of the universe, the Euclid telescope will conduct two surveys over six years. One of its primary tasks is to create a map that shows where and how dark matter exists in the universe. Dark matter itself cannot be directly identified, but astronomers can infer its existence through its gravitational effects on visible matter in the universe.

    The Hubble Space Telescope has already made significant contributions in this regard, but Euclid will cover an area of the sky 15,000 square degrees in size, significantly larger than Hubble’s observations, providing a much more detailed look.

    Mark Cropper, a professor at University College London’s Space and Climate Physics Laboratory, notes, “The images captured by this camera will be enormous. Just looking at one image will require more than three high-definition televisions.”

    On the other hand, dark energy is entirely separate from dark matter. Dark energy’s presence causes galaxies to be spaced apart, leading to the universe’s accelerated expansion since its birth. Scientists believe that dark energy is a mysterious “force” that is propelling the expansion of the universe. Its existence and effects were confirmed by three scientists who were awarded the Nobel Prize in 1998.

    The Euclid mission will not provide definitive answers, but it will refine our understanding of these two enigmatic phenomena. It may even open the door to entirely new explanations.

    Babak Noroozi, a professor at Surrey University, says, “One possibility is that dark energy is actually a fifth force, a new force in the universe that only acts on large scales, affecting the universe’s expansion differently from gravity.”

  • European Space Agency’s Euclid Telescope Launched to Unravel Universe’s Mysteries

    European Space Agency’s Euclid Telescope Launched to Unravel Universe’s Mysteries

    The quest to unravel the secrets of the universe’s composition has taken a significant leap forward with the launch of the Euclid telescope from Florida, USA. Developed by the European Space Agency (ESA), this ambitious mission aims to capture images of billions of distant galaxies, creating an unprecedented three-dimensional (3D) map of the universe. Scientists hope that this map will shed light on the elusive phenomena known as dark matter and dark energy.

    Euclid telescope

    Dark matter and dark energy are believed to exert a substantial influence on the size and expansion of the visible universe. However, despite their profound impact, researchers still possess limited knowledge about these enigmatic entities, as they cannot be directly observed.

    The Euclid mission seeks to address this knowledge gap by leveraging its 3D map. Scientists aim to decipher the effects of dark energy and dark matter on the fabric of spacetime within the universe. Professor Isobel Hooke, an astronomer and lecturer at Lancaster University, explained, “Our lack of understanding of these phenomena prevents us from fully explaining the origins of our universe.”

    The insights gained from the Euclid mission will undoubtedly contribute to a better understanding of the cosmos. As Professor Hooke aptly described it, the mission is akin to embarking on a voyage without knowing the destination, aiming to uncover humanity’s position within the universe, trace the formation of galaxies after the Big Bang, and explore the origins of life and our solar system.

    With a price tag of 1.4 billion euros, the Euclid telescope was launched into space from Cape Canaveral using SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. It will be positioned approximately 1.5 million kilometers away from Earth, taking about a month to reach its designated orbit. The telescope will revolve around the Sun at the same speed as Earth while capturing cosmic data. Although initially an ESA project, NASA has also made significant contributions, particularly in the scientific and engineering aspects of the telescope.

    Utilizing the Euclid telescope, scientists can identify and study the presence of dark matter by analyzing the light emitted from distant galaxies. The Hubble Space Telescope provided the first glimpse of this phenomenon, albeit in a limited area of the sky. In contrast, Euclid will extend this work across an expansive 15,000 square degree region.

    The telescope’s VIS (Visible Imaging) camera, developed under UK leadership, will be responsible for capturing colossal images. Professor Mark Cropper from University College London’s Space Research Laboratory emphasized the magnitude of the task, stating that it would require over 300 high-definition televisions just to display a single image.

    Dark energy, distinct from dark matter, is another compelling facet of the universe. It is believed to be responsible for the accelerated expansion of the cosmos, causing galaxies to move apart. By analyzing the 3D distribution of galaxies, Euclid will strive to deepen our understanding of dark energy. Scientists anticipate that studying the spatial relationships between various celestial objects will provide insights into the expansion rates of the universe.

    The survey conducted by Euclid will provide the most accurate positional data to date on approximately 200 million galaxies situated roughly one thousand billion light-years away from Earth. This endeavor will allow scientists to address pivotal questions, such as whether the rate of expansion is uniform throughout the universe or if there are regional variations.

    While Euclid will not directly identify dark matter or dark energy, it will narrow down the range of theories and ideas about these phenomena. The telescope has the potential to stimulate new avenues of research, including novel approaches to identifying dark matter particles.

    Professor Mark McCorken from the European Space Agency’s ESO envisioned the impact of Euclid, suggesting that dark energy might represent a fifth force, exerting its influence solely on a cosmic scale, unrelated to life on Earth. Understanding dark energy could have far-reaching implications, influencing predictions about the expansion and future fate of the universe.