Wednesday, February 23, 2005
Mysterious Invisible Galaxy Found
Astronomers from Cardiff University in England have discovered an invisible galaxy. The galaxy is made of dark matter, the mysterious stuff that accounts for 25% of the universe. No one has ever seen dark matter. It's existence has only been inferred from the motion of galaxies.
The scientists used radio emissions to identify the object. The galaxy, called VIRGOHI21, is about 50 million light years away in the Virgo cluster. It's basically a giant invisible whirlpool that rotates like our Milky Way but contains no stars. "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever is left - however implausible - must be the truth," said team member Mike Disney, quoting Sherlock Holmes.
Roughly 5% of the universe is made of visible matter, the stuff that makes you and I, your mother-in-law, and the stars, about 25% is dark matter and the rest is dark energy. No one has ever seen the latter two and we have no idea what they are. Even our galaxy is chock full of the mysterious stuff since otherwise it would fly apart like a carousel that's spinning too fast.
The scientists used radio emissions to identify the object. The galaxy, called VIRGOHI21, is about 50 million light years away in the Virgo cluster. It's basically a giant invisible whirlpool that rotates like our Milky Way but contains no stars. "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever is left - however implausible - must be the truth," said team member Mike Disney, quoting Sherlock Holmes.
Roughly 5% of the universe is made of visible matter, the stuff that makes you and I, your mother-in-law, and the stars, about 25% is dark matter and the rest is dark energy. No one has ever seen the latter two and we have no idea what they are. Even our galaxy is chock full of the mysterious stuff since otherwise it would fly apart like a carousel that's spinning too fast.
