Knowledge story : In the world of science, one of the biggest questions is: what created this universe? To search for answers, a European telescope, launched into space from Florida in the United States, will create a detailed three-dimensional map of this universe, capturing images of billions of galaxies. Scientists hope to gain insights into the so-called dark matter and dark energy through this map. This news is from the BBC.
It is conceived that everything we see in the universe is controlled by these two entities.
However, researchers admit that they still don't know much about dark matter and dark energy. None of these can be directly identified.
Now, Euclid's three-dimensional map will be used to understand these two subjects better. Scientists will attempt to understand what kind of impact dark energy and dark matter have had on the universe's time and space.
Isobel Hook, a teacher and astrophysicist at Lancaster University in the United Kingdom, said, 'Due to this lack of knowledge, we can't really explain our origin.'
She says, 'What we'll learn from this Euclid mission will help us understand this universe.'
This mission is somewhat like embarking on a journey before knowing where the ship is located. From this research, we'll try to understand where we are in this universe, how we got here today, and how all the extraordinary galaxies were formed after the Big Bang, how the solar system was formed, and how life began,' according to the BBC.
The Euclid telescope has cost 1.4 billion euros to build. It was launched into space from the Cape Canaveral on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on Saturday.
The telescope will be located 1.5 million kilometers away from Earth. It will take about a month to reach its destination. Scientists say it will allow us to travel back in time by a thousand years in the history of the universe.
In addition to being initially a European Space Agency project, the United States' NASA has also made significant contributions to this mission, especially in terms of the telescope's science and engineering aspects."
Euclid Telescope: What Will It Do?
Drawing from previous research, it's estimated that about 70% of the energy in the universe is dark energy. Roughly 25% is dark matter, and the remaining 5% consists of stars, planets, gas, dust, and visible matter like us.
To grasp the mysteries of this 95% of the universe, the Euclid Telescope will conduct two research missions over six years.
Its main task will be to create a map of where and how dark matter is distributed. This substance can't be directly observed, but astronomers can infer its presence through the visible effects of gravitational forces.
For instance, without dark matter, galaxies wouldn't be able to maintain their shape. It acts as a "scaffolding," holding the universe together, even though it's invisible and doesn't emit, absorb, or reflect light.
While dark matter itself can't be seen, the telescope will help understand where and how it exists. Scientists believe that analyzing light from distant galaxies can provide insights into dark matter.
The Hubble Space Telescope previously shed light on this, but the Euclid Telescope will cover a much larger area – 15,000 square degrees of the sky.
The camera used for this task was developed in the UK. Professor Mark Cropper from University College London's Space Science Laboratory describes the images it will capture as "huge." He says, "Just one picture will need more than three high-definition TVs."
On the other hand, dark energy is distinct from dark matter. It's causing galaxies to move apart faster, leading to the universe's accelerated expansion since its birth. Three scientists were awarded the Nobel Prize in 1998 for confirming its existence and effects.
Analyzing three-dimensional images of sprawling galaxies across the cosmos, the Euclid Telescope will attempt to uncover more about dark energy.
Scientists aim to measure the voids between various cosmic structures and how they've expanded over time. They'll use "yardsticks" like the average distances between galaxies.
While some research has been done in this area before, Euclid will provide more accurate positions for nearly two billion galaxies. These galaxies are located at distances of about a thousand billion light-years from Earth.
Professor Bob Nichol from the University of Portsmouth anticipates asking significant questions once this data is available. For example, does the universe expand at the same rate everywhere? If not, what are the implications?
He says, "This telescope may not definitively say, 'This is dark matter, and this is dark energy.' But it will refine our understanding of these concepts and theories significantly."
Euclid may even lead to the discovery of new phenomena in the universe. Professor Mark McCracken from the European Space Agency believes dark energy could be a fifth fundamental force, distinct from the four known forces in physics. He suggests it might operate on a vast scale without affecting life on Earth directly.
However, it could still have a profound impact on the universe's future. Will our cosmos continue to expand indefinitely, or will it eventually collapse back to its previous state? These are the questions that Euclid aims to shed light on
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