ESA’s Euclid Spacecraft Delivers Unprecedented Image of the Milky Way’s Center

The European Space Agency (ESA) has revealed a new photograph of the center of our galaxy. This snapshot was captured by the Euclid probe‘s VIS optical camera during a 26-hour observation conducted on March 23, 2025. This release provides fresh visual data for the study of galactic structure.

The Objective of the Euclid Mission

The European Space Agency’s (ESA) Euclid mission aims to understand the nature of dark matter and dark energy. These two unknown components make up 95% of the Universe but evade direct observation. To study them, the probe is mapping the 3D position and shape of billions of galaxies across ten billion years of cosmic history. Analyzing this data will make it possible to model the expansion of the Universe and test the validity of the laws of physics on a large scale.

The Probe’s Instruments

To map the Universe, the Euclid probe utilizes two primary instruments installed behind its telescope:

• VIS: An ultra-precise camera that takes photos in visible light to analyze the shape of galaxies and pinpoint invisible dark matter.
• NISP: A tool that observes in the infrared spectrum to measure the exact distance of these galaxies and understand how fast the Universe is expanding.

These complementary technologies enable scientists to track the evolution of the cosmos over billions of years.

Details of the Revealed Image

This image is a mosaic of nine shots captured by the VIS optical camera during a continuous 26-hour observation of our galaxy’s core. It shows the Milky Way’s bulge and makes it possible to isolate more than 60 million individual stars amidst clouds of interstellar dust. This document is unprecedented because it combines a resolution equivalent to that of the Hubble Space Telescope with an observation field 270 times wider. As a result, it offers a visible-light map of unique scale and precision for this galactic region.

Euclid Galactic Bulge. Credit : ESA/Euclid/Euclid Consortium/NASA, CFHT, image processing by J.-C. Cuillandre and E. Bertin (CEA Paris-Saclay)

3D PLUS Modules Aboard Euclid

Several of our technological modules have been integrated aboard the Euclid probe:

• SRAM: Our ultra-fast RAM module ensures the immediate and temporary processing of scientific data collected by the instruments.
• SDRAM: Our component provides high-capacity temporary storage to save massive volumes of images before they are transmitted to Earth.
• EEPROM: This non-volatile memory securely retains the source code and computer programs required for the operation and rebooting of the probe.
• LCL (Line Current Limiter): Our module manages power distribution and protects Euclid’s electronic circuits against electrical overloads.