Science
Astronomers complete largest three-dimensional universe map using Arizona instrument
Researchers mapped roughly four billion celestial objects across five years, according to Wired.
The short version
- Astronomers finished a five-year survey with the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument to build the largest three-dimensional map of space.[Wired]
- The survey documents roughly 4 billion objects across 5.6 trillion pixels, spanning about 75 percent of the sky.[Wired]
- Earlier three-year data suggested dark energy may weaken over time, with a full analysis of all five years scheduled for 2027.[Wired]
Key facts
- The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument finished a five-year mapping project that created the largest three-dimensional map of the cosmos.[Wired]
- The survey encompasses about 75 percent of the entire sky and contains 5.6 trillion pixels documenting around 4 billion celestial objects.[Wired]
- A comprehensive analysis of the full five-year dataset is scheduled for publication in 2027.[Wired]
What remains uncertain
- Whether dark energy is gradually weakening over time remains preliminary, based only on an analysis of the first three years of survey data.[Wired]
Sources
Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.