Home / Science / Webb Telescope Unveils Dark Matter Cosmic Web
Webb Telescope Unveils Dark Matter Cosmic Web
26 Jan
Summary
- Webb telescope created most detailed cosmic map of dark matter.
- Map reveals cosmic web structure with unprecedented clarity.
- Map uses light bending effect from ~250,000 distant galaxies.
Scientists have utilized the James Webb Space Telescope to produce the most detailed cosmic map of dark matter, a mysterious substance constituting the majority of the universe's matter. This groundbreaking map covers a vast area of the sky, revealing the intricate structure of the cosmic web with exceptional clarity.
The map was constructed by observing subtle distortions in approximately 250,000 distant galaxies, caused by the gravitational effects of dark matter bending light. Webb's superior infrared capabilities, launched in 2021, offer twice the resolution of previous maps and allow astronomers to observe events from 8 to 10 billion years ago.
This enhanced view reveals finer dark matter structures and mass concentrations previously unseen, providing crucial insights into galaxy formation and evolution. The distribution of dark matter, revealed through this method, aligns with the leading cosmological model, Lambda-CDM, which describes the universe's evolution since the Big Bang.
