Astronomers Reveal Largest-Ever Infrared Map of the Milky Way

Astronomers have unveiled the most comprehensive infrared map of the Milky Way galaxy, capturing over 1.5 billion objects.

This groundbreaking achievement was made possible by the European Southern Observatory’s (ESO) Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy (VISTA) telescope, located at the Paranal Observatory in the Atacama Desert, northern Chile.

The project – which spanned 13 years and amassed 500 terabytes of data – is the largest survey of its kind using an ESO telescope.

The map allows astronomers to peer through cosmic dust, revealing hidden regions of the galaxy that were previously invisible. VISTA’s infrared camera detected cold objects such as brown dwarfs and free-floating planets, alongside newborn stars and ancient stellar clusters.

By observing stars whose brightness fluctuates, the team created an accurate 3D model of the Milky Way’s central regions.

VISTA Variables in the Vía Láctea – the Latin name for our galaxy – survey and its extended counterpart has led to over 300 scientific papers.

The data is expected to fuel research for decades, with upcoming telescope upgrades set to enhance the project’s potential. This monumental effort has reshaped our understanding of the cosmos, opening up new avenues for future discoveries.

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