Monster Galaxy Cluster Found in Distant Universe

[n2doc]

By Lisa Grossman October 13, 2010



A monstrously huge cluster of galaxies lurks 7 billion light-years away. The cluster weighs in around 800 trillion suns and holds hundreds of galaxies, making it the most massive galaxy cluster ever found at such a great distance.

Despite its tremendous bulk, the cluster was hidden until astronomers looked for the distortions it created in the cosmic microwave background, the oldest light in the universe. This light was emitted when ions and electrons first combined to form atoms just after the Big Bang, and has been traveling through the rest of the matter in the universe for the last 13.7 billion years or so to reach telescopes on Earth. As the light passes through massive galaxy clusters, it can get distorted in a phenomenon called the Sunyaev-Zel’dovich effect.

Astronomers using the South Pole Telescope at (where else?) the South Pole have found several galaxy clusters by searching for this effect. But this newest cluster, named SPT-CL J0546-5345, is the heavyweight champion.


Because the cluster is so far away, astronomers see it as it appeared 7 billion years ago, when the universe was half its current age and before the solar system even existed. Even then, the cluster was almost as massive as the nearby Coma Cluster of galaxies, which is one of the densest known. Since then, the cluster should have quadrupled in size, astronomers inferred, making it one of the most massive clusters in the universe. Details on the cluster are published in the Astrophysical Journal.



Read More http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/10/monster-galaxy-cluster/

So...this was a long, long time ago, and far, far away.....

[Blue Owl]

1. Mind-blowingly awesome

Thanks for expanding my horizons today, n2doc -- I needed that...

[Nuclear Unicorn]

2. Humbling

thank-you

[Beaverhausen]

3. I can't even wrap my head around the concepts in those paragraphs

We are seeing it as it was 7 billion years ago?

[Posteritatis]

9. Yep; about two billion years before our sun formed. (nt)

[Drale]

4. Man I love space stuff

and I'm tired of people bitching about the money spent, in my opinion this is one of the areas we should be spending money. Instead of spending trillions on the military, we should be going to Mars and researching ways to go further.

[formercia]

5. ...like slash and burn farmers

Use up one planet and move on to the next. Just hope nobody is already living there.

[Drale]

7. But what about the off chance

that Star Trek happens and we make first contact with some alien force and it changes everything?

[formercia]

8. We should hope they don't have more powerful weapons than we do

because, some reactionary is bound to start a war with them.

[txlibdem]

11. We need the advice of some of the folks who wear tin foil hats at that point

They will be an invaluable resource during those confusing times.

I tried one on for size when I was younger but I didn't get any transmissions or messages of any kind (was so PO'd). Guess it takes a special skill set or something???

[tridim]

6. I wonder if the fundies living in those galaxies also think their planet..

is the center of the Universe?

[rug]

10. It's "the" distant universe.

[Canuckistanian]

12. Meh

I've seen bigger.

[eppur_se_muova]

13. *gasp* Monster Galaxy Cluster ?!?

Don't worry! Monster Galaxy Cluster is just a name!