Scientists hail ‘avalanche of discoveries’ from Euclid space telescope

The Euclid space telescope has captured images of 26m galaxies, covering 10bn years of cosmic history. Photograph: ESA

Astronomers are predicting an “avalanche of discoveries” after the first major release of observations from a European space telescope built to study the mysterious dark matter and dark energy that comprise the bulk of the universe.

The European Space Agency’s Euclid mission has captured images of 26m galaxies, covering 10bn years of cosmic history. They give researchers unprecedented insight into the forces that shape the cosmos and the galaxies it holds.