Want the key facts? Here are the three main takeaways...
- Astronomers have captured the most detailed image yet of a single filament of gas, part of the vast cosmic web that connects galaxies and forms the underlying structure of the Universe
- These filaments are composed mainly of gas and dark matter, an invisible substance that makes up about 85% of all mass in the Universe
- The filaments stretch millions of lightyears, acting as cosmic highways that funnel material between galaxies and fuel their growth
- Capturing the image of this filament, scientists can now precisely trace the boundary between galactic gas and the cosmic web
- The study offers new insights into how galaxies form and evolve
Get the full picture
- For a deeper look at how this discovery was made and what it means for our understanding of the Universe, read the full feature, image showing filament of gas connecting galaxies together.
