https://hub.jhu.edu/2022/11/17/interactive-universe-map/ Skip to main content * Menu * HubOpen Hub + About the Hub + Announcements + For Media + Faculty Experts Guide + Subscribe to the newsletter + Explore by Topic + Arts+Culture + Athletics + Health + Politics+Society + Science+Technology + Student Life + University News + Voices+Opinion * Events * At WorkOpen At Work + About Hub at Work + Gazette Archive + Explore by Topic + News+Info + Benefits+Perks + Health+Well-Being + Tools+Tech + Happenings * Johns Hopkins MagazineOpen Johns Hopkins Magazine + Current Issue + About the Magazine + Past Issues + Contact + Support Johns Hopkins Magazine + Subscribe to the Magazine * jhu.edu * Search Hub Hub Johns Hopkins University Johns Hopkins University Brice Menard (left) and Nikita Shtarkman examine the map of the observable universe Image caption: Brice Menard (left) and Nikita Shtarkman examine the map of the observable universe Credit: Will Kirk / Johns Hopkins University Astronomy This new interactive map lets you scroll through the universe The map charts a broad expanse of the universe, from the Milky Way to 'the edge of what can be seen' By Jill Rosen / Published Nov 17, 2022 Media Inquiries Name Jill Rosen Email jrosen@jhu.edu Office phone 443-997-9906 Cell phone 443-547-8805 Twitter JHUMediaTeam A new map of the universe displays for the first time the span of the entire known cosmos with pinpoint accuracy and sweeping beauty. Created by Johns Hopkins University astronomers with data mined over two decades by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, the map allows the public to experience data previously only accessible to scientists. The interactive map, which depicts the actual position and real colors of 200,000 galaxies, is available online, where it can also be downloaded for free. "Growing up I was very inspired by astronomy pictures, stars, nebulae and galaxies, and now it's our time to create a new type of picture to inspire people," says map creator Brice Menard, a professor at Johns Hopkins. "Astrophysicists around the world have been analyzing this data for years, leading to thousands of scientific papers and discoveries. But nobody took the time to create a map that is beautiful, scientifically accurate, and accessible to people who are not scientists. Our goal here is to show everybody what the universe really looks like." The Sloan Digital Sky Survey is a pioneering effort to capture the night sky through a telescope based in New Mexico. Night after night for years, the telescope aimed at slightly different locations to capture this unusually broad perspective. The map, which Menard assembled with the help of former Johns Hopkins computer science student Nikita Shtarkman, visualizes a slice of the universe, or about 200,000 galaxies--each dot on the map is a galaxy and each galaxy contains billions of stars and planets. The Milky Way is simply one of these dots, the one at the very bottom of the map. A map of the universe Image credit: Visualization by B. Menard & N. Shtarkman The expansion of the universe contributes to make this map even more colorful. The farther an object, the redder it appears. The top of the map reveals the first flash of radiation emitted soon after the Big Bang, 13.7 billion years ago. "In this map, we are just a speck at the very bottom, just one pixel. And when I say we, I mean our galaxy, the Milky Way which has billions of stars and planets," Menard says. "We are used to seeing astronomical pictures showing one galaxy here, one galaxy there or perhaps a group of galaxies. But what this map shows is a very, very different scale." Menard hopes people will experience both the map's undeniable beauty and its awe-inspiring sweep of scale. "From this speck at the bottom," he says, "we are able to map out galaxies across the entire universe, and that that says something about the power of science." Posted in Science+Technology Tagged astronomy, astrophysics, space@hopkins Share on Twitter Pin it on Pinterest Email More social media options Share on LinkedIn Share on Reddit Share on Tumblr Share on Twitter Pin it on Pinterest Email More social media options Share on LinkedIn Share on Reddit Share on Tumblr News from Johns Hopkins delivered to your inbox You might also like Trending News Network * The Hub * At Work * Johns Hopkins Magazine * Search Explore by Topic * Health * Science+Technology * Arts+Culture * Politics+Society * University News * Student Life * Athletics * Voices+Opinion Resources * About the Hub * Get Email Updates * Events * Submit an Announcement * Submit an Event * Community guidelines * For Media * Faculty Experts Guide * Privacy Statement * Accessibility * Contact Us Discover JHU * jhu.edu * About the University * Schools & Divisions * Academic Programs * Admissions * Plan a Visit * Employment * my.JohnsHopkins.edu Johns Hopkins University Johns Hopkins University Johns Hopkins University Johns Hopkins University * (c) 2022 Johns Hopkins University. All rights reserved. * Office of Communications * 3910 Keswick Rd., Suite N2600, Baltimore, MD * Twitter Facebook LinkedIn YouTube Instagram