May 10, 2024

Galactic Wonders Unveiled: Euclid’s Deep Dive Into the Perseus Cluster

Astronomers demonstrated that galaxy clusters like Perseus can only have formed if dark matter is present in the Universe.

The Euclid space telescopes snapshot of the Perseus Cluster and distant galaxies lights up the role of dark matter in the cosmos. This permits astronomers to investigate the cosmic web, spot elusive dwarf galaxies, and examine weak lensing results, advancing our understanding of dark matter and dark energy. Credit: ESA/Euclid/Euclid Consortium/NASA, image processing by J.-C. Cuillandre (CEA Paris-Saclay), G. Anselmi, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO
Euclids groundbreaking image of the Perseus Cluster and myriad remote galaxies offers brand-new insights into dark matters impact on the Universes structure and the ongoing mystery of dark energy.
This incredible picture from Euclid is a transformation for astronomy. The image shows 1000 galaxies coming from the Perseus Cluster, and more than 100,000 additional galaxies further away in the background, each including as much as numerous billions of stars.
Unveiling Previously Unseen Galaxies
A number of these faint galaxies were previously hidden. A few of them are so far-off that their light has actually taken 10 billion years to reach us. By mapping the circulation and shapes of these galaxies, cosmologists will have the ability to find out more about how dark matter shaped deep space that we see today.

The crossing points in between dark matter filaments cause galaxies to stick close together, producing a cluster.” We desire to see the little and extremely faint galaxies, called dwarf galaxies.

Dark Matter and the Cosmic Web
” If no dark matter existed, galaxies would be dispersed equally throughout the Universe,” discusses Euclid Consortium scientist Jean-Charles Cuillandre of the CEA Paris-Saclay in France.
Gravity causes dark matter to form filamentary structures typically described as the cosmic web. The crossing points in between dark matter filaments cause galaxies to stick close together, developing a cluster. The cosmic web penetrates the entire Universe, and similar structures are seen method beyond Perseus, as far as 12 million light-years away.
This is nine times better than the meaning of NISP that was picked for the complete view; this was done for the useful factor of limiting the format of the full image to a workable size for downloading. The cutout completely showcases the power of Euclid in obtaining incredibly sharp images over a big area of the sky in one single pointing. Credit: ESA/Euclid/Euclid Consortium/NASA, image processing by J.-C.
The Quest for Dwarf Galaxies
Lots of galaxies in this cluster are already known, however Jean-Charles and his coworkers are interested in the tiny galaxies that were not noticeable in images from other telescopes.
” We desire to see the extremely faint and small galaxies, called dwarf galaxies. They are dominated by older stars that shine in infrared light. According to cosmological simulations, deep space needs to contain many more dwarf galaxies than we have discovered up until now. With Euclid, we will have the ability to see them, if they certainly exist in such a great deal as predicted.”
This cutout from Euclids full view of the Perseus Cluster is at the high resolution of the VIS instrument. This is 9 times much better than the meaning of NISP that was chosen for the full view; this was provided for the useful factor of limiting the format of the full image to a workable size for downloading. The cutout completely showcases the power of Euclid in acquiring exceptionally sharp images over a big area of the sky in one single pointing. This image represents just a little part of the whole colour view, the very same quality as shown here is readily available over the complete field. Credit: ESA/Euclid/Euclid Consortium/NASA, image processing by J.-C. Cuillandre (CEA Paris-Saclay), G. Anselmi, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO
Examining Galaxy Shapes and Weak Lensing
Astronomers also desire to study the shapes of these faint galaxies within the cluster and in the background, because their apparent distortions will inform us how dark matter is distributed within the cluster and in the Universe as a whole. This effect is called weak lensing.
In this image, we see over 100,000 galaxies beyond the Perseus Cluster, of which over 50,000 can be utilized to study weak lensing. Euclids whole sky study will be 30,000 times bigger than this image, resulting in billions of galaxies being imaged.
This cutout from Euclids full view of the Perseus Cluster is at the high resolution of the VIS instrument. This is nine times better than the meaning of NISP that was picked for the complete view; this was done for the practical reason of limiting the format of the full image to a manageable size for downloading. The cutout totally showcases the power of Euclid in acquiring extremely sharp images over a large region of the sky in one single pointing. Although this image represents just a little part of the entire color view, the same quality as shown here is offered over the full field. Credit: ESA/Euclid/Euclid Consortium/NASA, image processing by J.-C. Cuillandre (CEA Paris-Saclay), G. Anselmi, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO
The Intra-Cluster Light and Its Implications
Another important feature in Euclids image of Perseus is the faint light in between galaxies in the core of the cluster. This light is caused by complimentary drifting stars, an effect of galaxies connecting with each other.
Mapping Dark Matter and Dark Energy
Euclid will observe various galaxy clusters like Perseus, all distributed along the cosmic web of dark matter and therefore supplying a 3D view of the dark matter circulation in our Universe. The map of the circulation of galaxies over cosmic time will likewise teach us about dark energy, which speeds up the growth of deep space.

The Euclid area telescopes photo of the Perseus Cluster and distant galaxies illuminates the function of dark matter in the cosmos. By mapping the distribution and shapes of these galaxies, cosmologists will be able to find out more about how dark matter shaped the Universe that we see today.

Checking Out the Perseus Cluster
This is the very first time that such a big image has actually enabled us to record so lots of Perseus galaxies in such a high level of detail. Perseus is one of the most massive structures known in the Universe, situated just 240 million light-years far from Earth, containing thousands of galaxies, immersed in a vast cloud of hot gas. If dark matter is present in the Universe, astronomers demonstrated that galaxy clusters like Perseus can only have actually formed.