A team of Scottish researchers has helped create what is believed to be the largest 3D map of the known universe ever produced. The map was developed using the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (Desi), a collaboration involving scientists from the University of St Andrews, the University of California, Berkeley, and over 70 other institutions worldwide.
Desi, based at the Mayall telescope in Arizona, collected observations of millions of galaxies and quasars over five years. The project, launched in May 2021, initially aimed to capture light from 34 million galaxies and quasars, but ultimately exceeded expectations by recording data from 47 million galaxies and quasars, along with 20 million stars.
The high-resolution 3D map is intended to help researchers explore dark energy, which is believed to constitute the majority of the universe. Professor Rita Tojeiro of the University of St Andrews described the map as a revolutionary tool for cosmology, enabling scientists to study how galaxies form and evolve through cosmic time with unprecedented detail.
Researchers will now use the map to better understand dark energy and dark matter, which account for most of the universe's matter but have never been directly detected. Professor Tojeiro added that the level of detail is incredible and that the map will be explored for years to come.
