“Astronomers are predicting an ‘avalanche of discoveries’ after the first major release of observations from a European space telescope built to study the mysterious dark matter and dark energy that comprise the bulk of the universe.

The European Space Agency’s Euclid mission has captured images of 26m galaxies, covering 10bn years of cosmic history. They give researchers unprecedented insight into the forces that shape the cosmos and the galaxies it holds.

The first batch of survey data has allowed researchers to create a detailed catalogue of 380,000 galaxies, revealing the rich variation in galactic structures, with some caught in the act of merging with their neighbours.

Further images reveal how massive galaxies surrounded by dark matter, the invisible substance said to pervade the universe, warp space and magnify more distant galaxies behind them. These rare images are among the best leads scientists have for understanding the nature of dark matter.”

From The Guardian.