A groundbreaking view of the cosmos has emerged as scientists unveil the largest high-resolution 3D map of the universe, charting over 47 million galaxies and offering new insights into how the universe evolved.
The map was created using data from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument, mounted on the Kitt Peak National Observatory. Using 5,000 robotic fiber-optic sensors, DESI captures light from distant galaxies, enabling scientists to map their positions in 3D space.
Each point in the image represents a galaxy. Instead of being randomly scattered, galaxies form a vast “cosmic web” made up of filaments and clusters, separated by enormous empty regions known as voids.
Originally planned to map 34 million galaxies and quasars, the 5-year survey exceeded expectations, detecting over 47 million galaxies along with more than 20 million stars in the Milky Way.
Because light from distant galaxies takes billions of years to reach Earth, this map allows scientists to look back in time. It provides a dynamic view of how galaxies formed, moved, and clustered over billions of years.
Beyond its visual scale, the map is critical for studying Dark energy, which makes up about 70% of the universe and is believed to drive its accelerating expansion. By analysing galaxy distribution across different time periods, researchers can track how dark energy has shaped cosmic structure over the past 11 billion years.
Early findings suggest that dark energy may not be constant but could evolve over time—a possibility that could reshape our understanding of the universe’s future.
The project involved more than 900 researchers from over 70 institutions and is led by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory with support from the U.S. Department of Energy.
DESI will continue observations through 2028, aiming to expand the map by around 20% and capture even fainter and more distant galaxies. The first results from the full dataset are expected in 2027.
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