The structure of the local Universe is unexpectedly flat, according to new research, and this cosmic peculiarity may be protecting our Milky Way from collisions with countless other large, nearby galaxies — with just one exception.
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For decades, astronomers have wondered why our nearest neighboring galaxy, Andromeda, is speeding toward a possible collision with our own, while other nearby galaxies are receding. A new study now seems to explain why: a vast, flat sheet of dark matter is pushing these galaxies into deep space.
See also: Stunning images of a galactic union from space telescopes
Dark matter holds together and attracts visible matter, and the gravitational pull of this distant sheet of dark matter—located just beyond the boundaries of Andromeda and the Milky Way—overpowers the attraction between our own galaxy and its neighbors. The findings were published Jan. 27 in the journal Nature Astronomy.
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Future simulations may shed further light on the role of gravity in shaping our cosmic environment and explain why the local Universe has its current form.
