Uncovering dark matter with the ESA’s Euclid telescope

Euclid’s mission centres on gravitational lensing, where massive objects like galaxies bend light, revealing hidden structures. At FOS Future Lab presented by Randox, you can experience this phenomenon firsthand, watching the cosmos warp as light bends around you, mimicking Euclid’s ability to detect distant galaxies distorted by gravity. 

This immersive display, developed with the University of Sussex, showcases how dark matter shapes the universe’s architecture. It’s a visual and intellectual journey into the invisible forces governing the cosmos.

And at the Festival of Speed presented by Mastercard, you can step into a star-laden simulated universe where you can rewind or fast-forward through billions of years of cosmic evolution. Powered by Euclid’s data from its visible-light camera (VIS) and near-infrared spectrometer (NISP), this experience recreates galaxies, star clusters, and cosmological phenomena in stunning detail.

The University of Sussex’s astrophysics expertise ensures scientific accuracy, making this a rare chance to explore the universe’s past and future and spark curiosity for STEM enthusiasts of all ages.

This experience at FOS Future Lab goes beyond observation. Through Galaxy Zoo, a citizen science project, you can help classify galaxies and contribute to real scientific discoveries. You’re not just exploring the universe — you’re helping unravel its mysteries.

Euclid’s advanced instruments, including a 600-megapixel visible-light camera and a near-infrared spectrometer, capture data from billions of light-years away, targeting galaxies and cosmological phenomena. At FOS Future Lab, this data will be transformed into an immersive experience using state-of-the-art displays. 

Professor Mark McCaughrean, ESA Senior Advisor for Science and Exploration, suggests dark energy might be a fifth force, distinct from the known four (gravity, electromagnetism, and the strong and weak nuclear forces). He describes it as “a new force in the universe that operates only on huge scales, so it doesn’t influence life here on Earth,” he says.

“But, of course, it could enormously influence the fate of our universe — how far is it going to expand? Is it going to go on accelerating forever, just getting bigger and bigger? Or perhaps it will all collapse back down again."

“Euclid shows itself once again to be the ultimate discovery machine. It is surveying galaxies on the grandest scale, enabling us to explore our cosmic history and the invisible forces shaping our universe,” adds ESA’s Director of Science, Professor Carole Mundell.

Whether you’re a space enthusiast or a curious explorer, the ESA’s Euclid experience at FOS Future Lab invites you to uncover the universe’s deepest secrets and leave your mark on scientific discovery — and you might just meet FOS Future Lab ambassador, Sir Tim Peake, at the same time.

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While admission tickets have now sold out, you can still join us with our range of hospitality experiences that are still available. 

Images courtesy of ESA.