Scientists and space enthusiasts hoping to catch a glimpse of the mysterious force that ties galaxies together now have their opportunity.
A team of scientists from the University of Waterloo in Ontario have created a composite image of dark matter, the name given to a gravitational effect that scientists believe manifests within the universe’s galaxies and galaxy clusters, potentially serving as a “bridge” between them. Though no one has directly observed it through traditional means — dark matter doesn’t absorb or reflect light — National Geographic reports that it is estimated to make up approximately 25 percent of the universe.
To create the image, researchers collected data from the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope in Waimea, Hawaii. They used gravitational lensing to develop the composite image, Inquisitr reports, blending together images from 23,000 pairs of galaxies that are about 4.5 billion light years away.
Read more of Inquisitor’s article about dark matter and the creation of the image itself here.
—RealClearLife
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