Euclid space telescope unveils first major data release, including map of 900 million galaxies
The powerful Euclid space telescope is making the largest-ever 3D map of the cosmos, and ESA has just shared the first enormous piece of it.
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A telescope tasked with creating the largest-ever 3D map of the universe is making good on its promise.
On Thursday (Nov. 12), the European Space Agency (ESA) shared the first major data release from its Euclid space telescope, including observations of more than 900 million galaxies and 60 million black-hole-powered light sources in the early universe.
"These are far more than beautiful pictures; today marks a scientific milestone in our study of the cosmos," Carole Mundell, ESA's director of science, said in a statement. "This major Euclid data release represents the largest space-based survey of its kind, laying the foundation of future discovery."
Captured over 13 months, this cornucopia of data covers a slice of sky about 9,500 bigger than the full moon — about 14% of the total sky area that Euclid will survey on its planned six-year mission. Each object in the survey is like a "puzzle piece," with its specific light signature, or spectrum), offering clues about its composition and distance from Earth, according to ESA.
Taken from Live Science's own summary of the story.
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