The European Space Agency's Euclid telescope has taken a high-quality image of the Milky Way's galactic bulge. This image will help prepare for future observations by NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope.

歐洲太空總署的 Euclid 望遠鏡拍攝了一張銀河系核球的高品質影像。這張影像將有助於 NASA 的 Nancy Grace Roman 太空望遠鏡進行未來的觀測準備。

The Euclid mission was originally created to study dark matter and dark energy. However, in March 2025, it spent 26 hours observing the center of our galaxy. This resulted in a set of nine images showing about 60 million stars. Although Euclid's images are not as deep as the data the Roman telescope will provide, the resolution is similar. Consequently, using both sets of data allows scientists to have a two-year head start before the Roman survey begins in 2027.

Euclid 任務最初是為了研究暗物質與暗能量而創建的。然而，在 2025 年 3 月，它花費了 26 小時觀察我們銀河系的中心。這產生了一組包含約 6000 萬顆恆星的九張影像。雖然 Euclid 的影像不像 Roman 望遠鏡將提供的數據那樣深，但解析度相近。因此，使用這兩組數據讓科學家在 2027 年 Roman 巡天調查開始前，能提前兩年做好準備。

This collaboration focuses on a process called gravitational microlensing. This happens when a heavy object bends light, making a distant star appear brighter. By combining data from both telescopes, astronomers can find isolated black holes and 'rogue planets' that do not orbit any star. Furthermore, by comparing Euclid's early images with Roman's future images, researchers can more accurately calculate the mass and movement of these objects. This partnership also helps scientists distinguish between different types of star systems and improve their maps of the Milky Way.

這次合作聚焦於一個稱為「微引力透鏡」的過程。當一個重物使光線彎曲，使遙遠的恆星看起來更亮時，就會發生這種現象。透過結合兩座望遠鏡的數據，天文學家可以發現孤立的黑洞以及不繞任何恆星運行的「流浪行星」。此外，藉由將 Euclid 的早期影像與 Roman 未來的影像進行比較，研究人員可以更準確地計算這些物體的質量與運動。這次合作也幫助科學家區分不同類型的恆星系統，並改良銀河系的星圖。

The cooperation between the Euclid and Roman telescopes creates a strong system for astronomical research, making it easier to discover exoplanets and black holes.

Euclid 與 Roman 望遠鏡之間的合作為天文研究建立了一個強大的系統，讓發現系外行星與黑洞變得更容易。