The Big Ring is a ring-shaped large-scale structure formed by galaxies and galaxy clusters with a diameter of 1.3 billion light years, located 9.2 billion light years away.[1] It appears near the constellation Boötes. It was discovered in 2024 by Alexia Lopez, a PhD student at the University of Central Lancashire.[2] In 2021, she discovered the Giant Arc, a similar structure located in the same region.[3][4][5]
Lopez has no theoretical model to account for the existence of the gigantic galactic formations, stating “Neither of these two ultra-large structures is easy to explain in our current understanding of the universe."[6]
See also edit
References edit
- ^ "Discovery of second ultra-large structure in distant space further challenges our understanding of the universe". phys.org. 15 January 2024. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
- ^ Alexia M. Lopez, Roger G. Clowes, Gerard M. Williger. "A Big Ring on the Sky". Submitted to the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics (Preprint), 12 Feb 2024.
- ^ "Huge ring of galaxies challenges thinking on cosmos". January 12, 2024 – via www.bbc.com.
- ^ Devlin, Hannah; correspondent, Hannah Devlin Science (January 11, 2024). "Newly discovered cosmic megastructure challenges theories of the universe" – via The Guardian.
- ^ "A Big Cosmological Mystery". University of Central Lancashire. Retrieved 2024-01-15.
- ^ Cooper, Keith (22 January 2024). "An impossibly huge ring of galaxies might lead us to new physics. Here's how". Space.com. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
External links edit
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