Explore ESA’s Euclid Space Telescope as it maps over 60 million stars in the vibrant central bulge of the Milky Way. Check out the largest high-resolution visible light portrait—dive into the bustling heart of our galaxy and unlock new cosmic insights!
This captivating image of the Milky Way’s center was captured by ESA’s Euclid Space Telescope on March 23, 2025. Image Credits: ESA / Euclid / Euclid Consortium / NASA / CFHT / J.-C. Cuillandre & E. Bertin, CEA Paris-Saclay.
“Engineered to observe billions of distant galaxies, Euclid’s visible-light camera possesses remarkable sensitivity, enabling it to distinguish individual stars within the densely packed galactic bulge without interference,” stated Euclid team members.
“This capability is crucial for scientists intending to use this data for studying exoplanets via the innovative technique of microlensing.”
Euclid generated this expansive image in just 26 hours over March 23 and 24, 2025.
It captured over 60 million stars, along with various nebulae and star clusters.
“This image consists of a mosaic created from nine ‘directions’ by the visible-light cameras, each covering a substantial portion of the sky—a region larger than the full moon,” astronomers explained.
“In terms of sharpness and sensitivity, Euclid’s performance in visible light rivals that of the wide-field camera aboard the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope.”
“However, Euclid captures areas 270 times larger than Hubble’s field of view within just a few hours,” they noted.
“Achieving a comparable mosaic at the Keck Observatory would take approximately 2,000 hours,” added the team.
“Euclid operates faster, allowing it to detect faint stars that might go unnoticed from terrestrial observations.”
The latest image from Euclid is set to enhance the upcoming Roman Space Telescope, designed by NASA, which aims to monitor planetary exploration.
“This marks a unique instance where Euclid has paused its regular sky surveys primarily for cosmological research,” stated Dr. Jason Rose, an astronomer from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
“This initiative demands extensive effort and meticulous planning, targeting significant scientific impact.”
“Integrating Euclidean snapshots with Roman’s future surveys will facilitate precise mapping of the galaxy, allowing us to identify elusive cosmic phenomena like orphaned black holes and rogue planets,” he concluded.
Dr. Matthew Penny, an astronomer from Louisiana State University and co-leader of the Euclidean Exoplanet Science Working Group, remarked: “One of the most thrilling aspects of Euclid’s observations is their capacity to test and refine the Milky Way model.”
Source: www.sci.news