Advertisement

Massive monster in the far reaches

Discover the massive cluster of galaxies unveiled by the XMM-Newton observatory, revealing the mysteries of the distant Universe.

Google NewsGoogle News Preferred Source

Newsletter

Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news

Sign Up

Advertisement

I am sitting in the Las Vega$ airport coming home from a party at Penn's house (I'm such a jetsetter -- long story) and I see that XMM-Newton -- a European observatory that detects high energy X-rays from space -- stumbled on the most massive cluster of galaxies ever seen in the distant Universe. Tipping the scale at more than 1000 times the mass of the Milky Way (most of this in the form of million-degree+ gas -- or plasma if you're a picky antiscientist), it's lying at a distance of 7.7 billion light years. That's quite a hike. Since I'm at the airport and my plane leaves in a few minutes I don't have time to wax poetic on this bruiser, but go ahead and check out the story to read more and see pretty pictures in detail.

Stay Curious

JoinOur List

Sign up for our weekly science updates

View our Privacy Policy

SubscribeTo The Magazine

Save up to 40% off the cover price when you subscribe to Discover magazine.

Subscribe
Advertisement

1 Free Article