Zoomed-in image from the Dark Energy Camera of the barred spiral galaxy NGC 1365, in the Fornax cluster of galaxies, which lies about 60 million light years from Earth. Credit: Dark Energy Survey Collaboration
Sussex astronomer probes "dark energy" mystery as captured on camera. A University of Sussex astronomer has described seeing the first images captured by the world's most powerful sky-mapping camera as a "punching-the-air moment". Kathy Romer is among Sussex researchers involved in analysing data produced by the new Dark Energy Camera, an instrument capable of surveying 300 million galaxies up to eight billion light years away. Scientists hope the international collaborative project will help lead to an understanding of what is causing the Universe to rapidly expand. This force, given the term "dark energy", is regarded as ultimately destructive - although it would taken many billions of years for our own solar system to be affected. Romer says: "The Universe seems to be ripping itself apart and we have no idea why. This new camera marks a breakthrough in our response to the discovery of the accelerating Universe.
TO READ THIS ARTICLE, CREATE YOUR ACCOUNT
And extend your reading, free of charge and with no commitment.
