We are building a 3D map of every galaxy by 2060
In short: For millennia, humans have looked at the stars and seen only dots in a flat tapestry. Now, we are constructing the most detailed 3D map ever made, capturing millions of galaxies and black holes to decode the mysterious force driving our universe apart.
The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) recently completed its first five-year mission, producing a high-resolution 3D map that is 20 times more detailed than any previous facility. This survey captured over 47 million galaxies and quasars—the bright cores of active supermassive black holes—alongside 20 million nearby stars within our own Milky Way. By using 5,000 fiber-optic eyes to lock onto distant pinpricks of light every 20 minutes, the team has gathered photons that traveled toward Earth for billions of years.
The primary objective of this mapping is to study dark energy, a mysterious substance making up about 70% of the universe's energy density. Dark energy acts as a force driving the accelerated expansion of the cosmos. Scientists identified the impact of dark energy across 11 billion years of cosmic evolution by contrasting present-day galaxy arrangements against historical clustering patterns. This data is critical because the ultimate fate of our universe hinges on the balance between matter and this invisible driver.
The findings are already creating a scientific stir. Data from the first three years of DESI's operation hinted that dark energy might not be an unchanging 'cosmological constant,' as previously thought, but could actually be evolving over time. If confirmed by the full five-year dataset—which is currently being analyzed for results expected in 2027—it would represent a major shift in our fundamental understanding of physics. Astrophysicists estimate that mapping each major galaxy within our observable universe is achievable by the year 2060 at existing speeds.
This project represents a massive leap in human capability. As astrophysicist Juna Kollmeier notes, humanity has moved from arranging clamshells to general relativity in just a few thousand years; continuing this trajectory for another 40 years could complete our map of all galaxies.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Juna Kollmeier: The most detailed map of galaxies, black holes and stars ever made
- Also: DESI completes largest high-resolution 3D map of universe to date
- Also: A 3D map of 47 million galaxies is redefining our view of the universe
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