DARK UNIVERSE AND EUCLID SPACE TELESCOPE
Why in the News:
- European astronomers unveil the inaugural images from the Euclid space telescope.
Source: Space.com
The Euclid’s Mission:
- Euclid aims to unravel the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy.
- Euclid prepares to construct a 3D map covering a third of the sky.
- Positioned at Lagrange point 2, Euclid joins NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope in gravitational stability for continued observations.
Expansive Observations
- Four distinct areas of the nearby universe under scrutiny.
Notable focus on the Perseus cluster, containing 1,000 galaxies just 240 million light-years away.
- ESA releases additional captivating images, including an irregular galaxy resembling cosmic building blocks and the “Hidden Galaxy,” akin to our own spiral Milky Way.
Source: Chandra X-ray Observatory
Dark Matter
Dark matter is a theoretical type of matter thought to be present in the universe. It is unseen and lacks interaction with light, rendering it invisible.
- Reason for Invisibility: Unlike regular matter, it doesn’t emit, absorb, or reflect light, making it elusive to direct detection.
- They cannot be detected by observing electromagnetic radiation.
- We know that dark matter exists because of the effect it has on objects that we can observe directly.
- Observations of galaxies rotating faster than expected reveal its presence.
- Though its nature remains unknown, its gravitational effects are vital for the formation and structure of cosmic objects.
Dark Energy:
- A hypothetical energy form suggested to counteract gravity, pervading the entire universe. It is thought to constitute a significant portion of the universe’s energy, contributing to its accelerating expansion.
- Einstein’s theories permit the potential presence of dark energy.