Astronomers have found a galaxy without dark matter

2018-03-29 12:10

Astronomers have found a galaxy without dark matter
Discovery leads to new insight into this mysterious and elusive substance to revise views on the formation of galaxies.

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In our world of dark matter significantly more than usual, which are composed of stars, planets and ourselves. It is believed that it plays a decisive role in the creation and evolution of large-scale structures of the Universe, galaxies and their clusters, the news informs Rus.Media.

Here its gravity dominates, defining the life of gas clouds and stars. Moreover, assume the existence of “dark galaxies”, absolutely devoid of ordinary matter and stars. Known and candidates: for example, the galaxy Dragonfly 44, opened three years ago, consists of dark matter by 99.99 percent.

The unexpected recent discovery of astronomers from Yale University, which they report in the journal Nature: the galaxy is almost devoid of dark matter. To observe NGC 1052-DF2 managed by telescope, the Dragonfly Telephoto Array, designed by Professor Peter van Dokkum (Pieter van Dokkum), together with colleagues from Canada. Even externally, it stands out. According to scientists, the first considered all the details of the structure, it is transparent and looks like extremely thin small cluster, where occasionally there are small compact group of stars.

More powerful telescopes Hawaiian Observatory W. M. Keck allows us to determine the speed of a dozen such clusters in NGC 1052-DF2. They also were in few times less than usual less than 10 km/h.

Finally, astronomers have estimated the mass of the galaxy, which almost coincided with the mass of all the stars: “If there is dark matter, it is extremely small,” explains van Dokkum.

The scientist adds: “This invisible mysterious dark matter is an essential component of any galaxy. It was very unexpected to find a galaxy without her. It makes re-look at conventional views of the structure of galaxies and shows that dark matter is real. It leads its own existence, separate from the other components of galaxies.

You can also assume that there is not only one standard — the mechanism of the formation of galaxies.”