Astrophysicists find a “trace” of dark matter near the Milky Way

A new map of the galactic halo has revealed a series of stars that could help make sense of dark matter.

The Great Magellanic Cloud, one of the closest galaxies to our Milky Way, is sailing through an area known as the galactic halo where stars are scarce, which could consist of dark matter deposits.

Recently, as part of their efforts to unravel the mysteries of this matter, a group of astronomers from the University of Arizona, USA, put Map of the galactic halo, with the help of data from NASA telescopes And the European Space Agency (ESA).

According to experts, when the Great Magellanic Cloud moves across the corona – located at the ends of the Milky Way – its gravity causes a turbulence that leaves a trail, just like the path of a boat in water.

According to Nicholas Garavito Camargo, co-author of A. a study Regarding the subject in question, the path “is made of dark matter and pulls stars with it,” which allows for its detection.

“ The stars seen after the Great Magellanic Cloud in the new star map are the outlines of this Dark matter trail, Which “floats” like floating debris in an invisible ocean, “the University of Arizona explains.

Previous studies on the possible distribution of dark matter throughout the galactic halo suggested the presence of the tracer based on a theoretical model, but this new map actually confirms its existence and provides a detailed view of its shape and size.

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This way, scientists will finally be able to study dark matter, because it is literally something that they have never seen before. Dark matter does not reflect or absorb light, but its discovery explains the effects of intense gravity on the movement of stars and gases in the universe.

The interaction between the Great Magellanic Cloud and dark matter has major implications for the future of our galaxy, as the gravity of dark matter attracts the Great Magellanic Cloud and slows its velocity as it orbits around the Milky Way. So, according to the University of Arizona, “It would make the orbit of the Great Magellanic Cloud smaller and smaller […] Till the end Shock with the Milky Way Two billion years from now. “