There's an enormous, invisible sheet of strange stuff surrounding our entire Galaxy
BBC Sky at Night Magazine • • science
Key Points:
- New research from the University of Groningen reveals that the Milky Way is embedded in a vast, flattened sheet of matter extending tens of millions of lightyears, dominated by dark matter.
- This planar mass distribution explains why most nearby galaxies are moving away from the Milky Way, counteracting its gravitational pull and aligning with the Universe's expansion.
- Using computer simulations and data from over 30 nearby galaxies, the study shows that only a flattened structure can accurately reproduce the Milky Way's current dynamics.
- The cosmic sheet is bordered by large voids above and below, creating a unique local environment that influences galaxy movement and formation.
- Future observations aim to determine if such flattened structures are common across the Universe and how they affect the development of galaxies like the Milky Way.
