The UK-backed Euclid mission is about to unravel the mysterious world of dark matter and dark energy following the European Space Agency's (ESA) aims to lay out space in a three-dimensional perspective to have a better look at what's hiding the universe.

Euclid Space Mission is About to Launch Soon

With the visible universe where we currently belong, it's about time to uncover the universe beyond it. Known as dark matter and dark energy, scientists believe that these elements are "extremely limited" so there's a need to study them deeper.

These forces are difficult to detect, making it harder for the experts to distinguish their real components and their purpose.

According to a report by BBC News, a professional astronomer from Lancaster University, Professor Isobel Hook said that the upcoming Euclid probe will open more questions about the expansion of the universe.

In order to gather insights from the European telescope, there's a need to map out the universe to find the gap between the dark forces and the existing solar system and galaxies.

The €1.4 billion Euclid telescope is ready to launch on a Falcon-9 rocket from Cape Canaveral. Positioned approximately 1.5 million kilometers from Earth on the opposite side of the Sun, Euclid will observe the cosmos and shed light on its mysteries.

"We have made huge progress in exploring visible matter, our neighboring planets, stars, and galaxies, but the dark matter and dark energy that make up 95% of the universe remain largely a mystery," the UK Space Agency's head of Space Science Caroline Harper said.

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How the Euclid Probe Will Operate

To investigate the elusive nature of dark matter and dark energy, Euclid will conduct a comprehensive survey over a span of six years.

One of its primary tasks is to map the distribution of dark matter. Although invisible, dark matter's presence can be inferred through its gravitational effects on visible matter, such as galaxies.

By examining the way dark matter distorts the light from distant galaxies, Euclid can reveal its distribution across 15,000 square degrees of the sky.

Euclid's visible camera, led by researchers from the UK, will produce enormous images that would require over 300 high-definition TVs to display a single image. This advanced technology will enable scientists to gather crucial data about dark matter.

Meanwhile, dark energy, a separate phenomenon, appears to be driving the accelerated expansion of the Universe.

By mapping the three-dimensional distribution of galaxies, Euclid will analyze the patterns in the vast voids between these celestial objects. This information will serve as a measurement of the expansion of the Universe throughout time.

The mission aims to explore whether the acceleration is uniform across the universe or if there are variations, leading to groundbreaking discoveries.

While Euclid won't provide definitive answers about the nature of dark matter and dark energy, it will significantly narrow down the possibilities and focus scientific attention on the most promising models and theories.

The mission might inspire innovative approaches to detecting dark matter particles and challenge the current understanding of dark energy as an intrinsic property of the vacuum of space.

Scientists speculate that it may instead be explained by a modified theory of gravity or even a new fifth force acting on cosmic scales.

Ultimately, Euclid's ambitious mission promises to revolutionize our understanding of the Universe and provide crucial insights into our cosmic existence. It will push the boundaries of discovery, shape future research directions, and unravel the enigmatic forces that have shaped the Universe since its inception.

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