Discovering the Cosmic Latte: Unveiling the True Color of the Universe

 In a 2002 study published in the Astrophysical Journal, researchers examined star formation in numerous galaxies, while also addressing a fascinating query: what is the Universe's color? In other words, what hue would result from blending light from various galaxies? Let's find out.

The outcome, as shown above, is a beige shade known in computer terms as #FFF8E7. To arrive at this color, astronomers essentially took the average light emission from an extensive sample of 200,000 galaxies found in the Two-degree-Field Galaxy Redshift Survey (2dFGRS).

Color Credit: Karl Glazebrook & Ivan Baldry (JHU)

The study highlights that over the past ten billion years, this color has gradually transitioned from blue to red, signifying the dominance of redder stars. As for the present-day color, a public survey has coined it the 'cosmic latte'.

Sources: NASA, ARI, ApJ.