Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument creates largest 3D map of the cosmos | University of Michigan News
Star trails over the Nicholas U. Mayall 4-meter Telescope on Kitt Peak National Observatory near Tucson, Arizona. Image Credit: KPNO/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/P. Marenfeld
The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument has capped off the first seven months of its survey run by creating the largest and most detailed map of the universe ever.
The instrument has smashed previous records for 3D galaxy surveys, yet it’s only about 10% of the way through its five-year mission.
Once completed, the map will yield a better understanding of dark energy, giving physicists and astronomers a better understanding of the past—and future—of the universe. Meanwhile, the technical performance and achievements of the survey are helping scientists reveal the secrets of the most powerful sources of light in the universe.
DESI scientists will present the performance of the instrument, and some early astrophysics results, this week at a Berkeley Lab-hosted webinar called CosmoPalooza, which will also feature updates from other leading cosmology experiments.
