New Study Finds Vast Galactic Network, No Sign of Dark Matter

Wednesday, April 25, 2012 - 12:00 in Astronomy & Space

Cluster of Galaxies Galaxies in this image, left to right: Upper inner left, NGC 3193; middle, NGC 3190; upper right (2 o'clock), NGC 3187; lower right (4 o'clock), NGC 3185. NASA/JPL-Caltech/SSC Is dark matter in danger? A few days after scientists said there's no dark matter near our sun, a team of researchers in Germany now says there's no dark matter in our galactic neighborhood. The team found a vast structure of globular clusters and satellite galaxies surrounding the Milky Way in a smooth, evenly distributed pattern. Most models of galactic distribution and evolution require the gravitational effects of dark matter, but in this model, it doesn't seem to exist. Examining a wide range of astronomical source data, the team assembled what they're calling a new picture of our cosmic neighborhood. Companion galaxies, star clusters and loose gases are all properly aligned with the galactic disk, according to the team, led...

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