Scientists discover an extragalactic structure hidden in the Milky Way

There is still a lot to be discovered in the universe, but we are heading more and more towards new conclusions. For example, a group of scientists recently discovered the existence of a extragalactic structure which had been hidden from observation for years.

Below, see more details about this story involving Brazilian scientists!

Read more: The James Webb Telescope reveals the oldest galaxy in the universe

“zone of avoidance”

For years, scientists have grappled with an obscured part of the night sky that was impossible to notice. However, the fact that it makes up nearly 10% of the sky has stimulated many researchers and has become one of the major mysteries to be explored in recent years.

Faced with this problem, a group of scientists from the National University of San Juan, Andrés Bello University and the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul has developed deeper research on this topic. Through these surveys, it was possible to find evidence of what scientists have called the “extragalactic structure.”

It is a diverse group of galaxies that outnumber the Milky Way, more precisely by the number of 58 galaxies. In this case, his findings are summarized in an article published in the journal Astronomy and astrophysics It is considered a major advance in cosmological studies.

How was the study

Detecting the extragalactic structure was a real challenge that was made possible only by the efforts of committed researchers. Moreover, it was necessary to use several tools as well as previous data from other studies, such as the researchers’ recent conclusions from the VVV survey.

In this case, the VVV survey is a project sponsored by the European Organization for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere. With this project, it was possible to set up several research centers in different locations and have already had some great results.

Therefore, mainly infrared images were used to come to the conclusion that some galaxies were hidden in what is called the “evasion region”. In other words, infrared radiation was used instead of visible light. For those unaware, these emissions can go beyond gas, dust, and even starlight.