Dark matter is a mysterious substance. It doesn’t emit, absorb, or reflect light, making it nearly impossible to detect. Yet, it’s believed to account for about 85% of the universe’s mass. This unseen material could help solve many cosmic puzzles, including the discovery of dim galaxies that are hiding in plain sight.
Last summer, astronomers explored “dark galaxies,” which are characterized by their low brightness. A paper published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters suggested these galaxies might have some of the most extreme properties known to science.
Recently, NASA shared stunning images of one such candidate: CDG-2. If their theories hold true, CDG-2 could be one of the richest galaxies in dark matter ever identified.
While we can’t see dark matter, we can infer its presence from its gravitational effects on visible objects. This is how scientists understand cosmic structures. Without dark matter, many theories about the universe would crumble. Although researchers haven’t directly detected it, no better explanation has surfaced, leading to a general agreement that dark matter exists.
CDG-2 is nestled within the Perseus galaxy cluster, an area dense with globular clusters that host millions of stars. Hubble Space Telescope and other facilities noticed a faint glow around four of these clusters, suggesting they might all belong to a single galaxy.
The researchers conducted statistical analyses and concluded that these clusters likely form a dark galaxy. David Li, the lead author and astronomer from the University of Toronto, said, “This is the first galaxy detected solely through its globular cluster population.” This finding opens new doors in astronomical research.
Scientists estimate CDG-2 has a light output equal to around 6 million stars like our Sun. Strikingly, about 99% of its mass may consist of dark matter. The usual matter in CDG-2, mostly hydrogen needed for star formation, has likely been stripped away by neighboring galaxies.
This uniqueness makes CDG-2 a prime candidate for understanding star formation in clustered environments. As astronomers dig deeper, dark matter remains a tantalizing key to understanding the universe.
For more insights into dark matter and its implications in the cosmos, check out this NASA release.
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