06/30/2023

Here Comes Euclid, the Telescope That Will Search for Dark Energy

This is the European Space Agency’s new orbiting observatory

A new space probe set to launch Saturday morning has the power to shed light on the universe’s biggest questions. If all goes as planned, the Euclid telescope will scan billions of galaxies, poring through the past 10 billion years of cosmic time. It will give astrophysicists the data they need to better understand two persistent mysteries: dark matter and dark energy.

"Euclid is more than a space telescope. It's really a dark energy detector," said René Laureijs, the mission's project scientist, at a press briefing last week.

After more than a decade of hard work, the European Space Agency, or ESA, is planning for liftoff at 11:11 Eastern time on July 1 from Cape Canaveral, Florida. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will provide the ride to space. (The agency will broadcast the launch live here, and they’re reserving Sunday as a backup launch date.)

Please select this link to read the complete article from WIRED.