Astronomers have successfully crafted the largest three-dimensional map of the Universe using a revolutionary tool known as the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI).
DESI is instrumental in conducting spectroscopic surveys of distant galaxies. Its focal plane boasts 5,000 robotic devices capable of precisely positioning optical fibers, achieving a remarkable precision of up to 10 microns. This enables the capture of detailed images of the color spectrum of millions of galaxies across a vast portion of the celestial sphere.
The three-dimensional map of the Universe crafted by astronomers facilitates the observation of baryon acoustic oscillations (BAOs) – fluctuations in the density of matter in the early Universe, resembling vast hollow bubbles. Scientists measure the dimensions of BAOs to gauge distances to galaxy clusters and the boundaries of these bubbles, thereby enabling the measurement of the Universe’s expansion rate at various temporal intervals.
The authors of this groundbreaking study have succeeded in reconstructing the history of the Universe’s expansion across an extensive temporal range, surpassing the accuracy achieved in all previous BAO studies.
In total, scientists aim to chart 3 million quasars and 37 million galaxies on this comprehensive three-dimensional map.
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