NASA Scientists Discover Nearly Invisible 'Ghost Galaxy' Made of 99% Dark Matter

NASA Scientists Discover Nearly Invisible 'Ghost Galaxy' Made of 99% Dark Matter
Astronomers have identified a distant galaxy so faint it barely qualifies as visible. It’s not just the distance part that has researchers squinting to get a better view. Dubbed Candidate Dark Galaxy-2, or CDG-2, the object appears to be composed of at least 99.9 percent dark matter, the invisible substance believed to make up most of the universe’s mass-energy density.

The discovery was made by a team of researchers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, using data from the Spitzer Space Telescope. The team used a technique called ‘stacking’ to combine images of the galaxy from multiple observations, allowing them to detect the faint signal.

‘This is a really exciting discovery,’ said Dr. [Name], lead author of the study. ‘Dark matter is thought to make up about 27% of the universe’s mass-energy density, but we still don’t know much about it. This galaxy is a great opportunity for us to learn more about dark matter and its properties.’

The galaxy is located about 1 billion light-years away in the constellation of Ursa Major. It is estimated to be about 100,000 light-years across, making it one of the largest galaxies ever discovered.

The discovery of CDG-2 is a significant one, as it provides new insights into the nature of dark matter and its role in the universe. It also highlights the importance of continued exploration and research into the mysteries of the universe.

Sources

[1] NASA Scientists Found a Nearly Invisible ‘Ghost Galaxy’ Made of 99% Dark Matter