Orpington Astronomical Society

Astronomy => In the Media... => Topic started by: mickw on Jan 11, 2012, 13:38:50

Title: 'El Gordo' is largest distant galaxy cluster ever seen
Post by: mickw on Jan 11, 2012, 13:38:50
The largest distant galaxy cluster has been spotted by astronomers using a telescope in Chile.
Galaxy clusters are the largest stable structures in our Universe.
Seven billion light years away and with two million billion times the mass of our Sun, the cluster was nicknamed "El Gordo" - "the Fat One" in Spanish.
Astronomers reporting at the 219th American Astronomical Society meeting said El Gordo was currently undergoing a merger and growing even larger.

More:   http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-16493790 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-16493790)

Even More:   http://www.space.com/14192-largest-galaxy-cluster-el-gordo-photo-aas219.html (http://www.space.com/14192-largest-galaxy-cluster-el-gordo-photo-aas219.html)