UNITED STATES: The European satellite telescope, Euclid, has been launched from Cape Canaveral in a historic achievement of space exploration with an ambitious aim to address one of science’s most profound mysteries: the makeup of the Universe.
With a budget of €1.4 billion, this project aims to create a massive three-dimensional map of the cosmos that will shed light on the characteristics of dark matter and dark energy, two enigmatic substances that are thought to have a considerable impact on the form and expansion of the visible universe.
Euclid’s launch: A milestone in space exploration
The Euclid telescope embarked on its groundbreaking journey aboard a Falcon-9 rocket from the historic spaceport in Florida. With a destination set at 1.5 million kilometers from Earth, the telescope will now orbit the Sun-Earth Lagrange point.
The mission, which is primarily under the direction of the European Space Agency (ESA), has also benefited greatly from significant scientific and engineering contributions from NASA, making it a remarkable example of international cooperation in the pursuit of knowledge.
The quest for the unknown: Dark matter and dark energy
Dark matter and dark energy are the focal points of Euclid’s profound investigation. Despite their pivotal roles in shaping the Universe, they remain elusive and undetectable through conventional means, leaving scientists with limited knowledge about their nature and behavior.
Euclid aims to bridge this knowledge gap and offer unprecedented insights into these mysterious components of the cosmos.
Dark energy, constituting around 70% of the Universe’s constituents, and dark matter, accounting for approximately 25%, collectively dominate the Universe’s composition.
Visible matter, including stars, planets, and everything perceivable to us, represents a mere 5%. The distribution and properties of this elusive 95% are the primary targets of Euclid’s mission.
Euclid’s path to illumination
Over the course of six years, Euclid will embark on a two-pronged survey to meticulously map the distribution of dark matter and explore the three-dimensional arrangement of galaxies to understand the effects of dark energy on cosmic expansion.
The telescope’s visible camera, known as the VIS, will capture enormous images, each requiring more than 300 high-definition TVs to display fully. By studying the distortion of light caused by the gravitational effects of dark matter, Euclid will create an extensive map covering 15,000 square degrees of the sky.
This unprecedented endeavor will significantly advance our understanding of the distribution and properties of invisible matter.
Euclid will map the locations of over two billion galaxies over a large area of 10 billion light-years from Earth in order to explore dark energy. These measurements will provide crucial insights into the uniformity of the Universe’s expansion and may challenge current models and theories, potentially reshaping our understanding of the cosmos.
Unlocking the universe’s mysteries
Professor Isobel Hook from Lancaster University in the UK compared the mission to embarking on a voyage without knowing the destination. By tracing the history of the universe from the Big Bang to the present, including the emergence of galaxies, the Solar System, and even life itself, scientists seek to gain an understanding of where mankind fits within it.
Despite the fact that Euclid may not provide all of the conclusive explanations for the nature of dark matter and dark energy, it will considerably reduce the range of possibilities, directing further investigation and inspiring fresh concepts. The mission has the potential to revolutionize our understanding of the Universe and its expansion, ultimately shaping our perception of reality on a cosmic scale.
As Euclid begins its celestial odyssey, the scientific community and the world eagerly await the unveiling of the Universe’s deepest secrets. This groundbreaking mission represents a pivotal moment in space exploration, one that could redefine our comprehension of the cosmos and our place within it.
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