08-01-2007, 06:33 AM
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star-hopper
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Terranora
Posts: 4,406
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Hubble makes 3D dark matter map
Astronomers have mapped the cosmic "scaffold" of dark matter upon which stars and galaxies are assembled. Dark matter does not reflect or emit detectable light, yet it accounts for most of the mass in the Universe.
The study, published in Nature journal, provides the best evidence yet that the distribution of galaxies follows the distribution of dark matter.
This is because dark matter attracts "ordinary" matter through its gravitational pull.
Scientists presented details of their research during a news conference here at the 209th meeting of the American Astronomical Society (AAS) in Seattle, Washington.
It involved nearly 1,000 hours of observations with the Hubble Space Telescope. ...............
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6235751.stm
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