Uncover dark matter

The event that was most interested in space research by the researchers in August was 70 years after the concept of "dark matter" was introduced, for the first time, scientists had a proof of This material in the universe.

Dark matter - the ghost of the universe?

The Bullet Cluster was created by clashes between two clusters of galaxies (Photo: SGTT) It has been used to understand dark matter like we explain the origin of the universe or interpret the black hole that has worked how. That analogy has just shown the basic nature of this material but also says it is one of the most mysterious things that still makes astronomers headaches. Dark matter is something that does not emit light or does not reflect enough light to be visible. According to astronomers, it accounts for about 25% of the universe. Understanding the structure and properties of this material is of great significance, it will help explain many other problems and open the way for us to understand the nature of this universe.

But dark matter is an invisible form and cannot be captured. That's why even a proof of its true existence has never been achieved. American astrophysicist Maxim Markevitch describes: "It's like a phantom. A true ghost in the universe. But we are thirsty to catch it, dissect that ghost!".

The Bullet Cluster problem lifted the secret

The Hubble telescope used to observe how the Bullet Cluster phenomenon directed light from the stars (Photo: SGTT)

But in the end the mystery began to show up with a new astronomical event that was named the Bullet Cluster by scientists. Bullet Cluster is a clash between two clusters of galaxies with the number 1E 0657-57. A golden opportunity has appeared!"In a typical galaxy, all matter occupies a single space , " explains Dr. Maxim Markevitch from the Harvard Center for Astrophysics - Smithsonian, USA. "In this case, gas and galaxies are separated. Galaxies fly through each other while their gas clouds don't move so easily."

Perhaps the American scientist's explanation also makes us unaware of the phenomenon. But Vietnamese scientists have a simpler explanation. Imagine two cast cakes with peanuts filling each other at millions of miles per hour. Here the stars and dark matter are peanut seeds and the main air masses are cast dough. So the phenomenon will be peanut seeds then rush through each other (with very little clash) and the air masses or the dough are wrapped together in the middle.

Two different parts are formed in space. The research group of Dr. Maxim Markevitch " weighs " the total volume of the bright area where the two galaxies clash. As a result, they found that it was much heavier than the mass of stars and interplanetary air masses. Simple subtraction gives us the first and clear evidence of dark matter!

" This proves simply and directly that dark matter exists ," Markevitch said. While observing the Bullet Cluster phenomenon is not enough to help scientists explain dark matter, but with such a special material, just proving it to exist is a long step.

It is surmised that no matter what, dark matter particles are very far apart, like stars or there are other ways to avoid colliding.

Photo of Chandra X-ray observatory shows that the constellation of 1E 0657-57, or Bullet Cluster formed after the violent collision of two galaxies.Pink is a hot gas of the constellation, containing mostly ordinary matter.

Most of the mass of the constellation appears in blue, mainly containing dark matter.The clear separation between such ordinary and dark matter has never been observed before, and is the strongest evidence that most of the matter in the universe is "dark".

Xuan Thi