Europe's Euclid space telescope launched to shed light on dark matter, dark energy

By Anadolu staff

ISTANBUL (AA) - Euclid, an orbital satellite built by the European Space Agency (ESA), was launched on Saturday with a mission to study the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy.

Named after the ancient Greek philosopher and mathematician known as the "father of geometry," the telescope was launched from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida to be carried in the cargo bay of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

The mission that cost a staggering $1.5 billion aims to gather data that could help scientists uncover insights into dark matter — invisible matter that shapes the distribution of ordinary matter — and dark energy, an unknown force that accelerates the expansion of the universe.

It will also aim to gather information on the nature of gravitational force.

Set to gaze at nearly one-third of the sky, Euclid will provide a 3D map of the cosmos through both space and time, in addition to providing an explanation on why the universe is expanding at an increasingly faster pace.

The telescope will travel for over 1.5 million kilometers (1 million miles) until it reaches its final destination and begins its six-year work to shine light on some of the enshrouded mysteries of the universe.