Astronomers Make Extraordinarily Detailed Map of the Universe's Dark Matter
Dark Matter Map This is one of the most detailed maps of dark matter ever made. The location of the dark matter (tinted blue) was inferred through observations of magnified and distorted distant galaxies seen in this picture. NASA Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope have made one of the most detailed dark matter maps ever, taking advantage of the dark matter's own gravitational effects to bring it into the light. The map suggests massive galaxy clusters may have formed earlier than expected, before dark energy stunted their growth, according to the Space Telescope Science Institute. To measure the dark matter, astronomers used Hubble's Advanced Camera for Surveys to snap pictures of the galaxy cluster Abell 1689, located about 2.2 billion light-years away. The cluster is so massive that its gravity warps the light from galaxies behind it, an effect called gravitational lensing. Faraway galaxies appear as warped smears or distorted blobs,...