The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) collaboration has released its first major public data set, cataloging nearly two million celestial objects. This initial release marks a significant milestone for the international project, which is designed to map the universe in unprecedented detail to study dark energy.
The data set includes precise measurements of the distances to galaxies and quasars, enabling researchers to construct three-dimensional maps of the large-scale structure of the universe. By analyzing how this structure has evolved over billions of years, scientists aim to better understand dark energy—the mysterious force driving the accelerated expansion of the cosmos.
This public release allows astronomers worldwide to access the data for their own research, potentially accelerating discoveries in cosmology and astrophysics. The DESI instrument, mounted on the Mayall Telescope in Arizona, began its five-year survey in 2021 and is expected to eventually measure the spectra of tens of millions of galaxies and quasars.