The European Space Agency (ESA) has released the first dataset from the Euclid space telescope, which is designed to study dark matter and dark energy. The data includes scans of three deep-field regions and classifications of over 380,000 galaxies, representing just 0.4% of the expected total over the mission’s six-year lifespan.
Euclid aims to map the cosmic web by analysing the shapes, sizes, and distribution of galaxies. This will help scientists understand dark matter and dark energy, which together make up 95% of the universe but do not interact with light, making them difficult to study directly.
The dataset includes images of 26 million galaxies, with some as distant as 10.5 billion light-years. Euclid will revisit its deep-field regions multiple times, improving resolution and detecting more objects with each observation.
To process the 100 gigabytes of daily data from Euclid, scientists are using artificial intelligence (AI). The ZooBot AI algorithm, trained by nearly 10,000 volunteers from the Galaxy Zoo project, is helping classify galaxies based on structural features such as spiral arms.
Euclid's observations will provide details on how galaxies form and evolve over time. Scientists will study their internal structures and external environments to understand how these factors shape their development.
Launched in July 2023, Euclid began collecting data in February 2024. Over six years, it is expected to capture images of 1.5 billion galaxies while continuously refining observations of its deep-field regions.
Euclid’s data will contribute to both galaxy evolution studies and broader cosmological research. Scientists believe the findings will enhance understanding of the universe’s large-scale structure and the role of dark matter and dark energy in shaping it.