The first razor-sharp images from the EU’s Euclid space telescope have been unveiled. This showcases the observatory’s powerful cameras are functioning smoothly and are part of the significant mission to explore dark energy and dark matter. The image exposes the Perseus galaxy cluster, displaying at least 1,000 gravitationally-bound galaxies with an additional 100,000 or more astronomical objects across the distant background. These images provide breathtaking views of the universe. The Perseus galaxy cluster is a vast structure that contains thousands of galaxies encased in an immense cloud of hot gas. Euclid’s telescopic lens captured at least 1,000 of the cluster’s member galaxies and some 100,000 more beyond. Observing the beauty and intricacy within the universe is truly something to behold.
Other images detail the famous Horsehead nebula and a globular cluster, showcasing bright stars. According to Euclid project scientist, René Laureijs, “We have never seen astronomical images like this before, containing so much detail, they are even more beautiful and sharp than we could have hoped for, showing us many previously unseen features in well-known areas of the nearby Universe.” The unparalleled design of Euclid’s Euclid’s near-perfect primary mirror measures just 3 feet 11 inches across and holds much potential with its features such as a 600-megapixel visible light camera and a 64-megapixel infrared spectrometer. This observatory has a wide field of view and can probe the nature of dark energy and dark matter, an incredible force shaping the universe’s evolution.
With a mission that involves studying galaxies over their lifetime, Euclid is set to make a groundbreaking impact on our understanding of our cosmos. The mission will take six years to be completed and generate an estimated 70,000 terabytes of data. It is crucial to remember that normal matter — the atoms in the periodic table making up everything we can see around us — accounts for just 5% of the universe. Together, dark energy and dark matter make up the vast majority, 95%, of the universe.
