How fast is your local supercluster moving? Astronomers have studied the motion of galaxies within their local supercluster, which is about 50 million light years from earth. The observable speed and distance of galaxies can be calculated by measuring the shift in the rainbowlike spectrum of each galaxy. Combined with the location of each galaxy in the supercluster, astronomers have developed a 3D map of the distribution of galaxies in the cluster. local movers tip
The speed at which individual galaxy clusters move is influenced by the varying speeds of the galaxy clusters. In fact, individual galaxy clusters may collapse due to self-gravity about 100 billion years from now, as cosmic expansion pulls everything apart. The Virgo Cluster, for example, will not have any light from other galaxies, since light will be unable to reach the cluster. Astronomers will no longer argue about whether this galaxy cluster is a supercluster, as its motion is determined by the movement of the Virgo Cluster.
The speed of a local supercluster is determined by the ratio of its mass to its volume. This ratio allows scientists to calculate the total mass of the cluster. For instance, a cluster containing Virgo has a mass of about 5 x 1014 M, which suggests that it has a large amount of dark matter. Therefore, if the cluster is moving at a faster rate than the Virgo cluster, it is likely to contain a large amount of dark matter.
Because the Virgo supercluster has a dramatic effect on the motion of the Local Group, its mass has been studied. Virial analyses have suggested that DM is the total mass of the cluster. It amounts to 10 times the total observed mass. This DM is what makes clusters so elusive. Using the Virgo supercluster as a guide, researchers can estimate how fast the Local Group is moving.
A local supercluster will become a single mass of stars in 100 billion years. Meanwhile, other superclusters will be converging at the same time, separated by billions of light years. In the meantime, astronomers have noticed an unusual movement of galaxy clusters within the supercluster. Specifically, many clusters within the local supercluster are moving towards the Norma Cluster. The exact reasons for this movement are unknown but the Milky Way's plane may be playing a role in this.
As a result, the local supercluster has a huge pull on the galaxy clusters. In fact, the Great Attractor is the largest of these tugboats, attracting more stars into the cluster's path. Scientists now use these results to understand how the galaxy clusters form and evolve. The Local Supercluster was discovered 70 years ago and played a critical role in unraveling the structure of galaxies in our local universe.
This discovery gave scientists the necessary tools to observe the galactic superclusters. Astronomers were able to observe the movements of these galaxies as they traveled away from the Virgo Cluster. This movement was accompanied by an underlying structure that gave astronomers a glimpse into the structure of the universe. As their research progressed, they realized that the Local Supercluster was advancing away from the Virgo Cluster towards a mysterious region.