Astronomers Have Completed the Largest Map of Space. Yes, You Can Play With It.
Astronomers have released the most comprehensive 3D map of the universe to date, created using the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI). The project, which covers 75 percent of the sky, is now available as a public tool for researchers and the general public to explore.
Why it matters
This map provides a foundational resource for modern astronomy, enabling deeper study of cosmic structures and the history of the universe.
Located on a remote mountain in Arizona’s Sonoran Desert, the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) has spent the past five years mapping the cosmos with the goal of unraveling this mystery. The result is the largest three-dimensional map of the universe ever created. And now—with the release of the latest version of the DESI Legacy Imaging Surveys, a free online tool for exploring the vast imaging data—you too can poke around the universe.
The new map boasts an overwhelming amount of information: 5.6 trillion pixels containing approximately 4 billion celestial objects including stars, galaxies, black holes, and asteroids. It covers approximately 75 percent of the entire sky, recording both visible light and near-infrared wavelengths.
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