Euclid Telescope Reveals First Cosmic Map

The European Space Agency’s Euclid telescope, launched in July 2023, has unveiled its first 208-gigapixel mosaic of the universe, representing a mere 1% of a grand mission to create the largest 3D map of the cosmos. This initial piece, consisting of 100 million stars and galaxies, was presented at the International Astronautical Congress in Milan on October 15. The mission aims to explore dark matter and dark energy, which together constitute approximately 95% of the universe, by mapping billions of galaxies and their interactions. According to project scientist Valeria Pettorino, the full map, projected for completion in six years, will cover over a third of the sky and enhance our understanding of cosmic structures. Euclid's capabilities allow it to observe areas 100 times larger than those captured by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. As of now, 12% of the mission has been completed, with significant discoveries anticipated in the future.