Astronomers reveal 3D cosmic map spanning 11 billion years

Technology Apr 15, 2026

Astronomers just unveiled a super-detailed 3-D map of the universe, built over five years using the DESI instrument at Kitt Peak National Observatory in Arizona.
This project mapped out more than 47 million galaxies and quasars (plus 20 million stars), letting us look back across an incredible 11 billion years of cosmic history.

Map expands dark energy data sixfold

This new map includes six times as many galaxies and quasars as all previous measurements combined and gives scientists a huge data boost to study dark energy, the mysterious force making our universe expand faster.
Early findings from DESI are already hinting that dark energy might be more complex than we thought, and with mapping set to continue until 2028, there's a lot more discovery ahead.