Euclid telescope's first images show the Universe as you've never seen

Though we all have differences, there’s one commonality that has prevailed for all of humanity: we are all floating on a rock, flying through outer space at over a million miles an hour.

Thanks to the rapid advancement of technology in the past century, we can observe much more of the universe than we ever thought possible.

The scale and sheer size of the universe make it impossible to truly learn everything, but it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try.

Here's what's happening in space this week.

The first images from a new telescope dubbed the 'dark Universe detective' were revealed Tuesday, showcasing spectacular views of celestial bodies as they've never been seen.

Launched in July earlier this year, the Euclid spacecraft was designed by the European Space Agency to explore the Universe - but not the Universe you're probably used to hearing about. Euclid is tasked with exploring the 'dark Universe.'

According to ESA, 95% of our Universe is made up of 'dark' matter and energy. This mysterious element influences the motion of visible bodies in the Universe, however, it emits nor reflects any light.

Euclid's projected lifespan is six years, and during this time it will peer into the furthest corners of the Universe with the goal of making the largest cosmic 3D map ever made.

The images unveiled this week showcase the remarkable capabilities of Euclid, offering us a glimpse into the exciting possibilities that lie ahead.

“We have never seen astronomical images like this before, containing so much detail. They are even more beautiful and sharp than we could have hoped for, showing us many previously unseen features in well-known areas of the nearby Universe. Now we are ready to observe billions of galaxies, and study their evolution over cosmic time,” said ESA’s Euclid Project Scientist, René Laureijs.

The image above shows Euclid's view of the Perseus Cluster, a group of over 1,000 galaxies situated 240 million light-years from Earth. This shot alone shows just how incredible the instruments aboard Euclid are. According to ESA, many of the galaxies imaged had previously never been seen.

Next is a shot of irregular galaxy NGC 6822. Located 1.6 million light-year from Earth, this galaxy is relatively small compared to other galaxies that Euclid will turn its focus to.

In order to create a 3D map of the Universe, Euclid will need to observe nearby galaxies as well as galaxies up to 10 billion light-years away.

One of the most breathtaking of the images from Euclid is this shot of spiral galaxy IC 342. Also known as the 'Hidden Galaxy,' IC 342 is similar to our home galaxy, the Milky Way. Thanks to Euclid's infrared capabilities, astronomers were able to see details of the galaxy's composition that they hadn't previously seen.

Globular cluster NGC 6397 is a collection of hundreds of thousands of stars located just 7,800 light-years from us. This image also exhibits Euclid's power as no other telescope can focus on an entire cluster in one observation with such detail. According to ESA, the faint stars seen within the cluster help astronomers piece together clues about the history of the Milky Way and the location of dark matter.

Lastly, this awe-inspiring photo reveals a detailed perspective of the Horsehead Nebula, a stellar nursery within the Orion constellation.

The remarkable first images from Euclid are not just a collection of pretty pictures - they are revolutionary for the scientific community. Euclid will spend the next six years meticulously studying a third of the night sky with incredible precision, giving researchers even more information to dissect to learn more about the hidden 'dark' Universe surrounding us.

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