Astronomy Colloquium

Launched in July 2023, the Euclid space mission aims to map the geometry and growth of cosmic structures with unprecedented precision through weak-lensing shape measurements and galaxy clustering/BAO. Its uniform, high-resolution optical and infrared imaging, together with slitless spectroscopy, will provide a space-based view of millions of galaxies across more than a third of the sky. This dataset will enable transformational tests of dark matter, dark energy, and gravity, while also creating a rich legacy resource for galaxy and transient astrophysics.

In this talk, I will first introduce Euclid's survey strategy, instrument capabilities, and core observables, then turn to the mission's first major public dataset: Quick Data Release 1 (Q1), issued in March 2025. I will present an overview of Q1 "non-cosmology" science results, including strong-lensing discoveries, AGN and rare objects, ultra-bright galaxies beyond z≈8, and expanded samples of local dwarf galaxies. I'll close by summarizing how to access Q1 data and previewing the path to the much larger DR1 release expected at the end of 2026.