Mapping dark matter, one of the most mysterious but essential parts of the universe, is like trying to chart Earth’s surface with no understanding of the ocean.
It’s called dark matter for a reason. It doesn’t absorb, emit or reflect light, so it is essentially invisible to telescopes despite making up about 27% of the universe and 80% of all matter, according to NASA. The only reason scientists know it exists is because of the gravitational influence it exerts on galaxies and stars.
et scientists recently created the most detailed map of dark matter yet, with some help from NASA’s powerful James Webb Space Telescope, or JWST.
“Thanks again to the power of JWST we were able to map out the distribution of dark matter in this field in stunning detail,” said Jacqueline McCleary, an assistant professor of physics at Northeastern University who worked on the project. “It’s a snapshot of what the universe looked like in high detail when it was about half of its current age. This is a feat that other telescopes may have come close to but never fully approached.”
Read more at Northeastern Global News
Photo by NASA
