Ultra-faint signatures of galaxy growth seen through the cosmic haze

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This project aims to uncover the cosmic cannibalism of galaxy mergers, by using innovative new instrumentation to detect some of the faintest structures ever seen by astronomers. The project will provide a comprehensive measurement of the mass growth experienced by large galaxies consuming their smaller siblings, which will provide a critical test of our understanding of dark matter. The project will also conduct ultra-high-sensitivity measurements of the foreground haze from nearby interstellar clouds, a crucial step towards mitigating its impact on billion-dollar projects such as the Euclid space telescope. The statistics of spatial structures in these clouds will help us to understand how new stars are born in our own Milky Way.