The European Space Agency’s (ESA) Euclid space telescope has captured the most extensive and intricate visible-light image of the Milky Way’s galactic bulge, the core region of our galaxy. This image is a composite of over 60 million stars, along with nebulae and star clusters, assisting scientists in verifying exoplanets and measuring their masses with enhanced accuracy. Although Euclid was designed for studying distant galaxies, its camera manages to image the Milky Way’s luminous, dense core, achieved in just 26 hours on March 23, 2025. The mosaic, created from nine exposures, encompasses an area larger than that of the full moon, with Euclid’s imaging area being 270 times that of Hubble’s field of view and significantly quicker—Keck Observatory would need roughly 2,000 hours for the same coverage. This latest image of the Milky Way in a star-laden region is perfect for exoplanet investigation through microlensing. Jean-Philippe Beaulieu remarked that almost 300 exoplanets have been identified using this method over two decades; the Euclid image features 51 known planetary systems and is expected to aid in discovering many more. Although Euclid’s brief observation period couldn’t identify new microlensing occurrences, it remains beneficial for assessing known planetary masses. Natalia Rektsini emphasized that Euclid supplies the essential historical data for upcoming microlensing occurrences that the Roman space telescope will observe. Euclid’s findings will serve as a benchmark for future missions, enabling comprehensive studies and accurate mass assessments of exoplanets. Valeria Pettorino pointed out that Euclid’s distinct data regarding the Milky Way’s center, offering a wide and clear perspective, also serves purposes for examining brown dwarfs, binary stars, stellar movements, and dust in our galaxy. This article, originally from WIRED Italia, was translated from Italian.
