Heavenly Survey Captures Historical Look Into Universe
A massive new survey of the universe has captured an unprecedented look at more than 3 billion stars and galaxies. The survey could help improve our understanding of how the cosmos works, as well as lead to the discovery of thousands of new sources of cosmic radiation.
The survey, called the Dark Energy Survey, made use of a 570-megapixel digital camera mounted on the 4-meter Blanco telescope at the Cerro Tololo International Observatory in Chile. The data was taken between 2013 and 2019, and covers one-eighth of the sky in visible light. This is the largest and deepest survey of the night sky ever made, and is providing an incredible view into the heavens.
Unparalleled Access To Universe
The survey has produced detailed images that show an array of breathtaking views of galaxies and stars, as well as dark matter and other phenomena. It has provided us with remarkable new insights into the universe, such as:
- The discovery of thousands of new cosmic sources, including distant galaxies, quasars and black holes.
- The first ever “census” of dark matter.
- Expansion of our understanding of how galaxies and stars form and interact.
- Detailed maps of the Milky Way.
- Better measurements of the rate at which the universe is expanding.
A Historical Moment
The survey is a major milestone in astronomy, giving scientists an incredibly rich data set that could help answer some of the biggest questions in the field. It is expected to lead to myriad advances in our knowledge of the universe, and to the discovery of many new cosmic artifacts.
The survey is also a historical moment; it marks the first time in human history that anyone has had such an expansive view of the night sky. It is a testament to the power of human ingenuity and to our unquenchable curiosity about the universe.
The Dark Energy Survey has revealed hidden secrets of the night sky that would have been impossible to learn about before, and has opened the door to a new era of exploration. In an unprecedented effort to gain an understanding of the Universe, an international team of scientists has captured more than three billion stars and galaxies in a large-scale survey. The data, which was collected over seven years using European Southern Observatory (ESO)’s Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy (VISTA) at Paranal Observatory in Chile, has produced the most detailed map yet of the area of sky surveyed, and it is expected to be an invaluable resource for researchers.
The data captured by VISTA was used to create what is known as a “Herschel-ATLAS” map which is made up of more than 10 million individual images. The depth of detail found in this map enabled the team to spot not only individual stars but entire galaxies, many of them rarely seen before. When compared to existing surveys, the Herschel-ATLAS was able to pick up roughly three times more galaxies and stars than had been previously recorded.
This incredible dataset will be a crucial tool for astronomers in their mission to uncover the secrets of the Universe. The majority of the data captured cover the mid-infrared wavelengths, which are ideal for studying distant stars and galaxies, as well as the dust and gas found between them. The survey focuses primarily on the Milky Way and the star-forming regions in our galaxy, which can provide insight into the formation of planets and how galaxies evolve over time.
The survey is known as the Herschel Extragalactic Legacy Project (HELP) and is freely available to all researchers. By making it easily accessible, the team behind HELP hope that the data can be used to answer some of the biggest questions in astronomy, such as how galaxies form, as well as allowing researchers to identify potentially new cosmic phenomena.
The data is a major scientific breakthrough that can help us to better understand the Universe and its contents. With more than three billion stars and galaxies now at our disposal, scientists have an abundance of data on which to base their research.