Thousands Of Dwarf Galaxies – Discovered

Eddie Gonzales Jr. – MessageToEagle.com – The European Space Agency released new data from its Euclid space telescope, forming the basis for a galactic census by Francine Marleau and her team at the University of Innsbruck. The scientists identified and characterized 2, 674 dwarf galaxies based on the images.

Some of the dwarf galaxies discovered in the Euclid images. source

ESA ‘s Euclid space telescope has been providing valuable data from the depths of space for almost two years. This data will be used to create the largest and most accurate 3D map of the universe to date, with billions of stars and galaxies. The Euclid data is being analyzed by the international Euclid consortium, which includes the research teams led by Francine Marleau and Tim Schrabback at the University of Innsbruck.

In 25 images from Euclid, Francine Marleau’s team discovered a total of 2,674 dwarf galaxies and compiled them into a catalog. Using a semi-automated process, the scientists first identified possible candidates and then examined and described them in detail.

“Of the documented galaxies, 58% are elliptical dwarf galaxies, 42% are irregular galaxies, a few are rich in globular clusters (1%), galactic nuclei (4%), and a not insignificant portion (6.9%) are blue compact dwarf galaxies,” report Marlon Fügenschuh and Selin Sprenger from Marleau’s team.

Reviewing cosmological models

This study provides insights into the shape of galaxies, their distance from Earth, their solar mass, and the environmental conditions of dwarf galaxies. As part of the Euclid project, Francine Marleau investigates the formation and evolution of galaxies, especially dwarf galaxies. They are the most abundant galaxies in the universe, and their number and distribution are considered important clues to whether our cosmological models accurately represent the laws of the universe.

“We took advantage of the unique depth, spatial resolution, and field of view of the Euclid telescope. This work demonstrates Euclid’s remarkable ability to detect and characterize dwarf galaxies, providing a comprehensive view of galaxy formation and evolution across different mass scales, distances, and environments,” emphasizes Francine Marleau of the Institute of Astro- and Particle Physics at the University of Innsbruck.

Deep look into the universe

The European Space Agency’s Euclid space telescope launched on July 1, 2023, and is designed to help learn more about the previously unexplored dark matter and dark energy of the universe. Over the next few years, the 1.2-meter-diameter telescope will create the largest and most accurate 3D map of the universe, observing billions of galaxies. Using this map, the space telescope can reveal how the universe expanded after the Big Bang and how the structures in the universe evolved. This will give scientists more clues to better understand the role of gravity and the nature of dark energy and dark matter.

The Euclid consortium – consisting of 2,000 scientists at 300 research institutions in 15 countries – is evaluating the mission data. The data is also being supplemented with ground-based telescopes. The research teams led by Tim Schrabback and Francine Marleau at the University of Innsbruck are playing a key role in the project.

Source

Paper

Written by Eddie Gonzales  Jr. – MessageToEagle.com Staff Writer