Euclid images the Milky Way's crowded centre: 60 million stars in one mosaic

European Space Agency/Euclid

ESA released the largest and most detailed visible-light image yet of the Milky Way's centre, a nine-pointing mosaic taken in about 26 hours. It shows more than 60 million stars and covers the whole region NASA's Roman telescope will watch for planets. Because Euclid separates individual stars, the image gives a reference for future microlensing events, helping confirm planets and measure their masses.

• Each pointing covers an area 270 times larger than Hubble's field of view.
• 51 known planetary systems are in the image.
• The Keck Observatory would need about 2,000 hours to make the same mosaic.