| Syllabus: GS-III, Subject: Science & Technology, Topic: Space Technology, Issue: Astronomical concepts |
Context: DESI experiment
Details of Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) experiment:
- DESI has 5,000 robotic ‘eyes’ capturing light from galaxies simultaneously.
- DESI has observed 6 million galaxies, dating back as far as 11 billion years, creating a detailed three-dimensional map of the universe.
Significance of DESI experiment:
- Precise measurements of galaxy distances have allowed scientists to map their distribution and movement over time.
- DESI data suggests that the expansion rate of the universe is increasing at 68.5 km per second for every 3.26 million light years of expansion.
- Some findings from DESI hint at changes in the energy density of dark energy, challenging established theoretical models.
Conclusion:
- DESI’s ongoing analysis of subsequent years’ data may provide further insights into dark energy and the fundamental physics of the universe.
| Prelims Connect (Terms in news)
Dark Energy: ·                Edwin Hubble’s observations in 1929 confirmed the universe’s expansion. ·                In the late 1990s, scientists discovered the universe’s expansion was accelerating. ·                This discovery led to the hypothesis of “dark” energy, explaining the accelerated expansion. ·                Dark energy is thought to constitute nearly 70% of the universe. |
