Detecting extremely dark dark networks

International astronomers have mapped the structure as the largest dark matter network to date. It spans over 270 million light-years, which is 2,000 times larger than our Milky Way.

"This result is a great step forward because the presence of a dark matter network in the universe has been so large that it has never been observed before," said Ludovic Van Waerbeke, an assistant professor at the University. British Columbia, Canadian team member, said.

About a fifth of the cosmic volume is thought to be full of dark matter - spread out in the form of mysterious strands, plates and clusters.

But with the current technology, it is not possible to observe it directly, instead, the researchers study them indirectly, through the gravity that it impacts on light. The observation group consists of 19 cities. The artist drew this map from photos provided by the Canadian - French - Hawaii Astronomical Station in Hawaii. Photos taken by the 340-megapixel digital camera of the astronomical station, the largest for astronomers in the world.

Their technique is based on the principle of weak gravitational lensing - a phenomenon predicted by Einstein - whereby light from distant galaxies as they fly through the universe to our eyes has been deflected by dark matter. direction.

Astronomers have created the largest map of dark matter networks to date.Their findings support the idea that galaxies and galaxies are submerged in a giant fiber structure of dark matter to create a " cosmic network ". (Photo: NASA)