The largest map of the Universe is now in 3D
Ryan Martin / 12 years ago
Scientists from the the Sloan Digital Sky Survey III (SDSS-III) have published the largest map of the universe in 3D. The data which forms the map was collected by 2.5m wide angle optical telescope in an observatory in New Mexico. The research team there have been able to pinpoint the locations of 1.35 million galaxies.
“We want to map the largest volume of the universe yet, and to use that map to understand how the expansion of the universe is accelerating,” said Daniel Eisenstein, director of SDSS-III, in a statement. “Our ultimate goal is to survey a quarter of the entire sky, and we are only about a third of the way done.”
It is believed that the new map will help make advancements in understanding dark matter and energy. A “Google Street Map-type” version of the map isn’t available yet but Miguel A. Aragon-Calvo, an astronomer at Johns Hopkins University, has said he is working on it. Hopefully, a publicly available version of the map will spur on more research and interest in the subject area.
If you just can’t wait for that to arrive then Microsoft’s World Wide Telescope should keep you occupied.
