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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.