Largest-ever 3D map of the universe shows 47 million galaxies, from the Milky Way to 'cosmic noon'
Yahoo • • science
Key Points:
- The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) has produced the largest high-resolution 3D map of the universe, capturing over 47 million galaxies and quasars, surpassing its initial target of 34 million.
- This map reveals the cosmic web structure of the universe, showing galaxies clustered in filaments and voids, and allows scientists to study the universe's evolution by looking back billions of years.
- DESI's data is crucial for understanding dark energy, the mysterious force driving the universe's accelerated expansion, with early findings suggesting that dark energy may change over cosmic time.
- The project is a major international collaboration involving over 900 researchers from more than 70 institutions, led by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and funded by the U.S. Department of Energy.
- Observations will continue through 2028 to expand the map by 20%, targeting fainter and more distant galaxies, with full dataset results expected in 2027.
