In a groundbreaking find, astronomers have identified 2,674 hitherto unseen dwarf galaxies from only 25 images of the Euclid space telescope, which was launched by the European Space Agency (ESA). The finding contributes an enormous amount of data to our knowledge of how the universe is shaped and how galaxies develop and change.
The study is from the Euclid Consortium, which consists of more than 2,000 researchers at over 300 institutions internationally. Francine Marleau and Tim Schrabback at the University of Innsbruck in Austria led this particular aim.
What Makes These Galaxies Unique?
Dwarf galaxies are the most common type of galaxy in the universe, yet many remain undetected due to their small size and low brightness. Thanks to Euclid’s sharp images and wide field of view, Marleau’s team was able to identify and catalog thousands of these galaxies, using a semi-automated method.
The results revealed a wide range of types:
- 58% of the galaxies were elliptical dwarfs
- 42% were irregular dwarfs
- Some had blue compact centers, and galactic nuclei, and were globular cluster-rich
Each galaxy was analyzed in terms of its distance, size, shape, and surroundings, offering new insights into how galaxies evolve across time and space.
What Is Euclid and What Does It Do?
The Euclid space telescope was launched on July 1, 2023, with one major goal: to create the most detailed 3D map of the universe ever made. It uses a 1.2-meter-wide mirror and high-precision instruments to observe billions of stars and galaxies. Over time, Euclid’s map will help scientists understand how the universe expanded and how giant structures like galaxy clusters came to be.
One of Euclid’s main missions is to shed light on dark matter and dark energy, which together make up most of the universe but remain poorly understood.
This Is Just the Beginning
What makes this discovery even more exciting is that it came from just 25 images — a tiny fraction of the data Euclid is expected to collect. With years of observations ahead, scientists are confident that many more discoveries await.
From mapping hidden galaxies to probing the deepest parts of the cosmos, Euclid is already transforming how we see the universe.
