Latest news with #Suzaku
Sustainability Times
09-07-2025
- Science
- Sustainability Times
'They Finally Found the Universe's Missing Matter!': Astronomers Stagger the Scientific World by Pinpointing Hidden Material in Colossal Cosmic Webs
IN A NUTSHELL 🌌 Astronomers discovered a massive filament of hot gas stretching 23 million light-years , containing much of the universe's 'missing matter.' , containing much of the universe's 'missing matter.' 🔭 Advanced telescopes like XMM-Newton and Suzaku played a crucial role in identifying and analyzing this elusive cosmic structure. and played a crucial role in identifying and analyzing this elusive cosmic structure. 🕸️ The filament is part of the Cosmic Web , a network that has guided the formation of galaxies and other large-scale structures. , a network that has guided the formation of galaxies and other large-scale structures. 🚀 This discovery supports long-standing cosmological models and opens new pathways for understanding the universe's composition and evolution. In the grand tapestry of the cosmos, astronomers have made a groundbreaking discovery that could reshape our understanding of the universe. A colossal tendril of hot gas, spanning an astonishing 23 million light-years and connecting four galaxy clusters, has been identified. This structure, with a mass ten times that of the Milky Way, holds much of the universe's elusive 'missing matter.' Unlike dark matter, this missing matter consists of baryons, the ordinary atoms forming stars, planets, and even our bodies. This revelation supports long-held cosmological models and offers profound insights into the Cosmic Web, the vast network that underpins the universe. Unveiling the Missing Matter For decades, scientists have been puzzled by the absence of a significant portion of the universe's baryonic matter. While the existence of dark matter remains an enigma, this missing matter pertains to the ordinary atoms that constitute the visible universe. Models of the universe have suggested that a third of this baryonic matter was unaccounted for. The recent discovery of a massive filament of hot gas linking galaxy clusters suggests that these models were accurate, and the missing matter is indeed hidden within these vast cosmic structures. The filaments stretch between dense regions of the universe, forming a part of the Cosmic Web. This network is believed to have guided the formation of galaxies and other cosmic structures over billions of years. The detection of this specific filament was enabled by advanced X-ray telescopes, which could identify and analyze the faint emissions from these gaseous threads. This discovery not only affirms our existing cosmological theories but also enhances our understanding of the universe's intricate architecture. 'Earth Is Not Unique Anymore': Harvard Scientists Reveal Countless Earth-Like Planets Lurking in Distant Galaxies The Role of Advanced Telescopes Identifying these elusive filaments required the sophisticated capabilities of telescopes like XMM-Newton and Suzaku. Suzaku, operated by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, effectively mapped X-ray emissions over large cosmic regions, while the European Space Agency's XMM-Newton provided detailed analyses of specific X-ray points. Together, these telescopes formed a powerful observational duo, enabling astronomers to filter out light from other cosmic sources and focus exclusively on the filament's emissions. Through this approach, researchers could accurately determine the filament's properties, including its staggering temperature of 18 million degrees Fahrenheit. Such precise measurements underscore the importance of international collaboration and technological innovation in astronomy. By combining data from multiple sources, the research team could present a comprehensive picture of this cosmic phenomenon, bolstering the validity of our current cosmological models. 'I Was Convinced We'd Found Aliens': Scientists Backtrack on K2-18b Breakthrough Before Revealing the Devastating Truth Implications for Cosmic Understanding This discovery has far-reaching implications for our understanding of the universe. By revealing a significant portion of the universe's missing baryonic matter, astronomers have not only solved a longstanding mystery but also opened new avenues for research into the Cosmic Web. These filaments, acting as cosmic scaffolds, play a crucial role in the formation and evolution of galaxies and other large-scale structures. Understanding these filaments could provide deeper insights into the universe's composition and the forces shaping its evolution. As more such structures are identified and studied, scientists can refine their models and simulations, leading to a more nuanced understanding of cosmic dynamics. This discovery represents a significant milestone in our quest to unravel the mysteries of the cosmos and underscores the potential for future breakthroughs in this field. 'NASA Unveils Cosmic Spectacle': Stunning New Images and Sounds of Andromeda Galaxy Leave Astronomers in Absolute Awe Future Directions in Cosmic Exploration The revelation of this filament highlights the importance of continued exploration and technological advancement in astronomy. As new telescopes and observational techniques are developed, astronomers will be better equipped to probe the universe's deepest secrets. The ongoing study of cosmic filaments and their role in the Cosmic Web will remain a focal point of astronomical research, with the potential to revolutionize our understanding of the universe. Future missions may focus on identifying additional filaments and mapping the Cosmic Web in greater detail. By doing so, scientists hope to uncover new insights into the formation and evolution of the universe. This research could pave the way for a deeper understanding of the fundamental forces at play in the cosmos and the intricate structures that arise from them. As we continue to explore the universe, what other hidden wonders might we uncover? This article is based on verified sources and supported by editorial technologies. Did you like it? 4.6/5 (20)
Daily Record
24-06-2025
- Science
- Daily Record
Massive thread of hot gas found linking galaxies and it's 10 times the mass of the Milky Way
The thread could contain some of the Universe's 'missing' matter, addressing a decades-long mystery Astronomers have uncovered a colossal, searing-hot filament of gas linking four galaxy clusters in the Shapley Supercluster - a discovery that could finally solve the mystery of the Universe's missing matter. This giant thread, 10 times the mass of the Milky Way and stretching 23 million light-years, is one of the best confirmations yet that vast, faint filaments connect the Universe's largest structures in a cosmic web. Over one-third of the 'normal' matter in the local Universe - the visible stuff making up stars, planets, galaxies, life - is missing. It hasn't yet been seen, but it's needed to make our models of the cosmos work properly, NASA says. Said models suggest that this elusive matter might exist in long strings of gas, or filaments, bridging the densest pockets of space. "While we've spotted filaments before, it's tricky to make out their properties," said lead researcher Konstantinos Migkas of Leiden Observatory in the Netherlands. "They're faint, making it difficult to isolate their light from that of any galaxies, black holes, and other objects lying nearby. "For the first time, our results closely match what we see in our leading model of the cosmos - something that's not happened before. It seems that the simulations were right all along." Clocking in at over 10 million degrees, the filament contains around 10 times the mass of the Milky Way and connects four galaxy clusters - two on one end, two on the other. All are part of the Shapley Supercluster, a collection of more than 8000 galaxies that forms one of the most massive structures in the nearby Universe. The filament stretches diagonally away from us through the supercluster for 23 million light-years, the equivalent of traversing the Milky Way end to end around 230 times. The astronomers used the European Space Agency's XMM-Newton and JAXA's Suzaku X-ray space telescopes to make the discovery. "Thanks to XMM-Newton we could identify and remove these cosmic contaminants, so we knew we were looking at the gas in the filament and nothing else," co-author Florian Pacaud of the University of Bonn, Germany, added. "Our approach was really successful, and reveals that the filament is exactly as we'd expect from our best large-scale simulations of the Universe." As well as unveiling a huge and previously unseen thread of matter running through the nearby cosmos, the finding shows how some of the densest and most extreme structures in the Universe - galaxy clusters - are connected over colossal distances. It also sheds light on the very nature of the 'cosmic web', the vast, invisible cobweb of filaments that underpins the structure of everything we see around us. "This research... reinforces our standard model of the cosmos and validates decades of simulations," Norbert Schartel, ESA XMM-Newton Project Scientist, added. "It seems that the 'missing' matter may truly be lurking in hard-to-see threads woven across the Universe." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
