Scientists have released a new survey of all the matter in the universe, using data taken by the Dark Energy Survey in Chile (above) and the South Pole Telescope.
You usually look at a map to know where you are going to go.
But some maps can also reveal where you've been or how things have changed over time..
To build their map, the astronomers focused on observations of three kinds of objects: high-mass star-forming regions, bright young stars, and young open clusters..
To map the matter in the Universe, researchers compared gravitational lens data collected by two different surveys – the Dark Energy Survey, which collected data in near-ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared wavelengths; and the South Pole Telescope, which collects data on the cosmic microwave background, the faint .
This map shows a slice of our Universe.
It was created from astronomical data taken night after night over a period of 15 years using a telescope in New Mexico, USA.
We are located at the bottom.
At the top is the actual edge of the observable Universe..
These maps show the evolution of growth over time (recall that distance is also time).
Additionally, the correlations between the galaxies give us a way of calibrating distances in the cosmos, which translate into measures of the acceleration or of the history of its expansion..
The study of the universe is called cosmology.
Cosmologists study the structure and changes in the present universe.
The universe contains all of the star systems, galaxies, gas and dust, plus all the matter and energy that exists now, that existed in the past, and that will exist in the future..
Unlike ancient philosophers imagining the universe's origins, modern cosmologists use quantitative tools to gain insights into the universe's evolution and structure.
Modern cosmology dates back to the early 20th century, with the development of Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity.
For millennia, humans have been fascinated by the mysteries of the cosmos.
Unlike ancient philosophers imagining the universe's origins, modern cosmologists use quantitative tools to gain insights into the universe's evolution and structure.
That way, the team was able to add a third dimension to its map.
Looking further away also corresponds to looking to the past, so a 3D cosmic map provides a record of the Universe’s history.
By tracking how galaxies spread out over time, cosmologists can then indirectly measure the forces at play.
