The DESI Legacy Imaging Surveys have unveiled the largest two-dimensional map of the universe ever created, containing nearly 4 billion celestial objects, such as stars, galaxies, black holes, and asteroids. This map covers about 75% of the night sky, using data collected in visible and near-infrared light. The survey used data from several powerful instruments, including the Dark Energy Camera (DECam), the Nicholas U. Mayall 4-meter Telescope, and the UA Bok 2.3-meter Telescope at the NSF Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO), as well as NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE). Over 160 scientists contributed to the project, including teams from the Dark Energy Camera Legacy Survey (DECaLS), the Mayall z-band Legacy Survey (MzLS), and the Beijing-Arizona Sky Survey (BASS).
The 11th data release (DR 11) of the DESI Legacy Imaging Surveys marks the largest 2D map of the universe, containing 5.6 trillion pixels. This map expands on previous versions of the survey, which completed their original five-year mission earlier this year. The earlier maps identified more than 47 million galaxies and quasars within 11 billion light-years of Earth. The new 2D map provides precise information on the location and brightness of galaxies and stars, which helps the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) select objects to study their light at different wavelengths. This data is essential for creating the largest high-resolution 3D map of the universe, which will help scientists understand how galaxies have clustered over time.
Early findings from the survey suggest that the influence of dark energy, the mysterious force driving the universe’s expansion, may be decreasing over time. This contradicts earlier studies that indicated dark energy is accelerating the expansion of the universe. If confirmed, this could change how scientists model the universe's future, suggesting it might eventually stop expanding and reach a state of equilibrium instead of continuing to expand infinitely. The map will also aid researchers in studying gravitational lensing, transient events like supernovae, fast radio bursts (FRBs), and gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). Additionally, it will support investigations into dark matter, the invisible substance that makes up about 85% of the universe's mass. The data will also be used to train artificial intelligence and machine learning systems to process vast amounts of astronomical information.
The map is publicly accessible through the Legacy Survey Sky Viewer and is also available as a searchable database via the Astro Data Lab at the Community Science and Data Center (CSDC). This data will support upcoming observatories such as the Vera C. Rubin Observatory and NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. The Rubin Observatory is expected to collect around 10 terabytes of data each night during its 10-year mission, while the Roman Space Telescope may generate up to 20 petabytes of data over five years. DESI plans to release improved results from its first five years of operations in 2027 and will continue its observations through 2028.
DESI Legacy Imaging Survey Releases Largest 2D Map of the Universe
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Original sources:
- 🇺🇸Phys.org



