SLAC topics

Dark energy RSS feed

Scientists study the force that drives that acceleration, dubbed “dark energy,” with deep astronomical surveys that look at how the distribution of galaxies has changed over billions of years.

Related links:
Physics of the universe
Astrophysics and cosmology

An observatory bathed in red light against a starry night sky

News Feature

NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory has just successfully completed a series of full-system tests using an engineering test camera.

A grid representing a digital camera image, with the central squares filled in.
News Feature

A new center brings astrophysics, data science, and AI together to answer some of the universe’s biggest questions.

A rendering of a galaxy.
News Feature

AI is playing a key role in helping SLAC researchers find new galaxies and tiny neutrinos, and discover new drugs.

Diffraction pattern
News Brief

The observatory's practice camera has captured its first on-sky data.

A telescope pointed through open doors in its building's roof.
Past Event
Discovering millions of galaxies and unraveling the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy is far out! Join us at the Dutch Goose for...
SLAC on Tap Hannah Polleck
News Feature

The 3.5-meter  glass mirror is the first permanent component of the Simonyi Survey Telescope's  state-of-the-art, wide-field optical system to be installed and will soon...

A donut-shaped mirror is lowered into a large support apparatus.
Video

Margaux Lopez is the logistics lead for shipping the LSST Camera to Chile. The world's largest digital camera, crafted at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory...

Stillframe of LSST video
Video
News Feature

Researchers have released 10 terabytes of data from the OpenUniverse project, which has created a detailed simulation of the universe astrophysicists can use to...

Stars and galaxies on a black background.
News Feature

The largest camera ever built for astrophysics has completed the journey to Cerro Pachón in Chile, where it will soon help unlock the Universe’s...

A semi truck traveling a gravel road approaches two large telescope facilities.
News Feature

The first reflective coating was applied to Vera C. Rubin Observatory’s 8.4-meter combined primary/tertiary mirror using the observatory’s onsite coating chamber.

A large mirror reflects equipment in the background.
News Brief

Researchers have used the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument to make the largest 3D map of our universe and world-leading measurements of dark energy, the...

A fan-shaped map shows a lumpy web of galaxies
Press Release

Once set in place atop a telescope in Chile, the 3,200-megapixel LSST Camera will help researchers better understand dark matter, dark energy and other...

Researchers examine the LSST Camera