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EUCLID: THE DARK UNIVERSE DETECTIVE EXHIBITION
In this free exhibition, discover how local scientists at the Royal Observatory Edinburgh are playing a pivotal role in ESA’s Euclid space telescope – a mission to unravel the cosmic mysteries of dark matter and dark energy.
Everything we see – from stars and galaxies to planets and people – amounts to only 5% of the Universe we live in. Most of the cosmos is invisible. Understanding it remains one of the biggest puzzles scientists have still to solve.
Launched in July 2023, the Euclid space telescope is the European Space Agency (ESA)’s ‘Dark Universe Detective’. Its mission? To map the Universe, capturing billions of galaxies in incredible detail along the way, allowing astronomers to shed light on mysterious dark matter and dark energy.
A team at the University of Edinburgh is playing a central role in this international mission, transforming the initial data downloaded from the space telescope into beautiful images and scientific results. So, what exactly has Euclid seen so far? What do we think dark matter and dark energy are? Is it relevant to our everyday lives and why should we care? What careers are available locally to get involved in a mission like this? Drop by this free exhibition to get answers to these questions and more!
Dates: 14th – 22nd February 2026
Time: Drop in to this exhibition between 11am – 5.45pm.
Location: Dynamic Earth, Level 2.
Age Recommendations: Suitable for all, recommended for ages 8+
This event is a free, drop-in exhibition. No admission ticket is required, and visitors can view this exhibition without a Dynamic Earth admission ticket. Please speak to a member of staff on arrival.Â
