ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Space

Largest 3-D map of the universe released by the SDSS [VIDEO]

Tibi PuiubyTibi Puiu
August 8, 2012
in Space
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterSubmit to Reddit
This is a still image from a video fly-through of the SDSS-III galaxies mapped in Data Release 9. (c) SDSS
This is a still image from a video fly-through of the SDSS-III galaxies mapped in Data Release 9. (c) SDSS

Previously, we shared the largest and, respectively, most detailed 3-D maps of the Universe released by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Now the survey has released a new, massive update to the map, again, making it the largest 3-D map of the Universe, which pinpoints the locations and distances of over a million galaxies. Were you to envision this 3-D map as a cube, its side would be four billion light-years in distance – yes, this is massive data!

Time capsules? Well, with data from the SDSS one can take a trip down memory lane billion of years back with ease. And by making this data freely available to the public, the survey hopes that astronomers from all around the world can now contribute with distinct findings of their own. In fact, considering the sheer volume of stellar information available, it should keep them busy enough for quite some time.

Improvements to the previously released version include:

  • More than 800,000 new galaxy, quasar and stellar spectra
  • Improved stellar parameters for SEGUE and SDSS-I/II stars
  • Improved astrometric calibration
  • Several small changes to catalog data from DR7 and DR8

It’s worth considering, though, that the data released thus far has been amounted during a mere two years of study, out of the whole six years of the project. Expect an even refined and detailed version to pop-up regularly. The project is called the SDSS-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS), which will measure the positions of massive galaxies up to six billion light-years away, as well as quasars – giant black holes actively feeding on stars and gas – up to 12 billion light-years from Earth.

“What really makes me proud of this survey is our commitment to creating a legacy for the future,” says Michael Blanton, a New York University physics professor who led the team that produced the map. “Our goal is to create a map of the universe that will be used long after we are done, by future generations of astronomers, physicists, and the general public.”

Though barely mentioned, the survey’s goal is most likely that of estimating how much of the Universe is made of “dark matter” and “dark energy,” the even more mysterious force that drives the accelerating expansion of the universe.

“Dark matter and dark energy are two of the greatest mysteries of our time,” said David Schlegel of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the principal investigator of BOSS. “We hope that our new map of the universe can help someone solve the mystery.”


“This YouTube video shows the positions of the 900,000 luminous galaxies used in these studies. Each green dot represents one galaxy. The image covers a redshift range from 0.25 to 0.75, reaching to six billion years ago. The rotation of the image provides a view that shows what the distribution would look like from all sides. Click on the movie to start or stop playing the movie.”

To view patches of the map, you need to follow instructions here, which include downloading a software and getting adjusted with the rather intuitive package.

RelatedPosts

Astronomers finally find the earliest molecule in the Universe
Universe could hold three times more stars than previously believed
Most powerful quasar outflow detected is two trillion times more energetic than the sun
The Universe will stop making new stars very soon – no more than 5% more stars will be born
Tags: quasarSloan Digital Sky SurveyUniverse

ShareTweetShare
Tibi Puiu

Tibi Puiu

Tibi is a science journalist and co-founder of ZME Science. He writes mainly about emerging tech, physics, climate, and space. In his spare time, Tibi likes to make weird music on his computer and groom felines. He has a B.Sc in mechanical engineering and an M.Sc in renewable energy systems.

Related Posts

This artist’s illustration shows the largest radio jet ever found in the early Universe. The jet was first identified using the international Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) Telescope, a network of radio telescopes throughout Europe. Follow-up observations in the near-infrared with the Gemini Near-Infrared Spectrograph (GNIRS), and in the optical with the Hobby Eberly Telescope, were obtained to paint a complete picture of the radio jet and the quasar producing it. GNIRS is mounted on the Gemini North telescope, one half of the International Gemini Observatory, funded in part by the U.S. National Science Foundation and operated by NSF NOIRLab. Historically, such large radio jets have remained elusive in the distant Universe. With these observations, astronomers have valuable new insights into when the first jets formed in the Universe and how they impacted the evolution of galaxies.
Science

Astronomers Discover Largest Radio Jet from the Early Universe. It’s Twice the Width of the Milky Way!

byTibi Puiu
3 months ago
Astronomy

Scientists find the biggest black hole jets — “we are talking about 140 Milky Way diameters”

byMihai Andrei
8 months ago
Cecilia Payne would overcome the adversity that faced women in academia at the turn of the century to blaze a trail through physics and become one of the most important figures in astrophysics.
People

Who is Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin: The Woman Who Knew The Stars

byRob Lea
10 months ago
Astronomy

Record-breaking quasar ate one Sun’s mass *per day* and grew to an unimaginable mass

byMihai Andrei
1 year ago

Recent news

The Cubist of the Undergrowth: Scientists Discover Snail with Picasso-Like Shell

May 11, 2025

Sexual Fantasies During Surgery Are a Disturbing Side Effect of Sedatives No One Talks About

May 11, 2025 - Updated on May 12, 2025

Nutrition expert says this less painful alternative to intermittent fasting works just as well

May 11, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
  • How we review products
  • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Science News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Space
  • Future
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Physics
      • Matter and Energy
      • Quantum Mechanics
      • Thermodynamics
    • Chemistry
      • Periodic Table
      • Applied Chemistry
      • Materials
      • Physical Chemistry
    • Biology
      • Anatomy
      • Biochemistry
      • Ecology
      • Genetics
      • Microbiology
      • Plants and Fungi
    • Geology and Paleontology
      • Planet Earth
      • Earth Dynamics
      • Rocks and Minerals
      • Volcanoes
      • Dinosaurs
      • Fossils
    • Animals
      • Mammals
      • Birds
      • Fish
      • Amphibians
      • Reptiles
      • Invertebrates
      • Pets
      • Conservation
      • Animal facts
    • Climate and Weather
      • Climate change
      • Weather and atmosphere
    • Health
      • Drugs
      • Diseases and Conditions
      • Human Body
      • Mind and Brain
      • Food and Nutrition
      • Wellness
    • History and Humanities
      • Anthropology
      • Archaeology
      • History
      • Economics
      • People
      • Sociology
    • Space & Astronomy
      • The Solar System
      • Sun
      • The Moon
      • Planets
      • Asteroids, meteors & comets
      • Astronomy
      • Astrophysics
      • Cosmology
      • Exoplanets & Alien Life
      • Spaceflight and Exploration
    • Technology
      • Computer Science & IT
      • Engineering
      • Inventions
      • Sustainability
      • Renewable Energy
      • Green Living
    • Culture
    • Resources
  • Videos
  • Reviews
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Editorial policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.