Scientists have revealed the first data from the Euclid telescope that offer a snapshot of the history of the universe

Scientists have released the first set of scientific data captured by the Euclid telescope, revealing an exciting glimpse into the distant past of the universe.

Launched in July 2023, the telescope is part of the Dark Energy Satellite Mission, which aims to map the dark universe.

Led by the European Space Agency in partnership with The Euclid Consortium – which includes astronomers from the University of Manchester in leadership positions – the mission aims to unravel the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy and reveal how and why the universe looks the way it does today. .

The first observations, described in a series of scientific papers published today, include five never-before-seen images of the universe.

The papers also describe several new discoveries including free-floating newborn planets, newly identified extragalactic star clusters, new low-mass dwarf galaxies in a nearby galaxy cluster, the distribution of dark matter and intracluster light in galaxy clusters and very distant galaxies. bright galaxies from the first billion years of the universe.

The findings provide a glimpse into the unprecedented power of the Euclid Telescope, which is designed to provide the most accurate map of our universe over time and demonstrate Euclid’s ability to unlock the mysteries of the cosmos.

Christopher Conselice, professor of extragalactic astronomy at the University of Manchester, said: “Euclid will completely change our view of the universe. These results already reveal important new insights into local galaxies, new unknown dwarf galaxies, extrasolar planets and some of the first These results are only the tip of the iceberg , as to what is to come.

Michael Brown, professor of astrophysics at the University of Manchester, added: “The exceptional data that Euclid is providing across a large part of the sky promises to revolutionize our understanding of dark energy. It is hugely exciting to be part of the team working to extract these major scientific results.”

The Early Release Observations program was conducted during Euclid’s first months in space as a first look at the depth and variety of science that Euclid would provide. A total of 24 hours were allocated to target 17 specific astronomical objects, from nearby clouds of gas and dust to distant galaxy clusters, producing stunning images that are invaluable for scientific research. In a single day, Euclid cataloged more than 11 million objects in visible light and another five million in infrared light.

The images released today follow the return of the first full-color images of the cosmos taken by the Space Telescope in November 2023.

In addition to the contributions to the mission’s main objectives, scientists from the University of Manchester, in collaboration with the University of Massachusetts Amherst, conducted a preliminary survey of data for distant galaxies. The red galaxies in the image show the cluster, which acts as a magnifying glass to reveal the more distant sources behind it. A total of 29 galaxies have been discovered, providing a glimpse into the first billion years of the universe.

Dr. Rebecca Bowler, Ernest Rutherford Fellow at the University of Manchester, said: “In these spectacular images we can see galaxies that were previously invisible because the most distant galaxies can only be discovered using the longer near-infrared wavelengths seen by Euclid. This first-sight data was invaluable to test our search algorithms and identify problems such as mistaking distant galaxies for brown dwarfs in our own Milky Way before we start working on the main data later this year.

“Amazingly, these images cover an area of ​​less than 1% of all deep observations, showing that we expect to detect thousands of early galaxies using Euclid in the next few years, revolutionizing our understanding of how and when galaxies form.” formed after the big bang.”

The images obtained by Euclid are at least four times sharper than images that can be obtained from ground-based telescopes. They cover large swathes of sky at an unmatched depth, peering far into the distant universe using both visible and infrared light.

The next data release from the Euclid Consortium will focus on Euclid’s primary scientific objectives. The first global fast release is currently planned for March 2025, while a wider data release is planned for June 2026. At least three more fast releases and two additional data releases are expected before 2031, which corresponds to several months after the end of Euclid’s initial survey.

The Euclid Consortium comprises more than 2,600 members, including more than 1,000 researchers from more than 300 laboratories in 15 European countries, plus Canada, Japan, and the United States of America, covering various areas of astrophysics, cosmology, theoretical physics, and particle physics.

Josef Aschbacher, Director General of ESA, said: “Euclid demonstrates European excellence in frontier science and cutting-edge technologies and shows the importance of international cooperation.

“The mission is the result of many years of hard work by scientists, engineers and industry from across Europe and members of the Euclid Science Consortium from around the world, all brought together by ESA. They can be proud of this achievement – ​​the results are no small feat for such an ambitious mission and such a complex fundamental science Euclid is at the very beginning of his exciting journey to map the structure of the universe.”