A Hubble image showing the location of Cloud-9 (Image source: Several – see sources)
A team of astronomers used the Hubble Space Telescope to examine a celestial object called Cloud-9. What was thought to be a faint galaxy has now been redefined as a dark-matter cloud with no stars. This discovery provides some insights into our understanding of dark matter and the early universe.
Cloud-9 was first spotted three years ago. It was discovered as part of a radio survey by the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope (FAST). Astronomers didn’t detect any stars in it. But they felt it was because the instruments were not sensitive enough.
In this recent observation, the ground-based Very Large Array (VLA) detected radio data from Cloud-9. Hubble’s Advanced Camera for Surveys was then used to examine the cloud. It found no stars within the cloud. This came as a surprise to the astronomers.
“Before we used Hubble, you could argue that this is a faint dwarf galaxy that we could not see with ground-based telescopes,” said lead author Gagandeep Anand of Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI). “But with Hubble’s Advanced Camera for Surveys, we’re able to nail down that there’s nothing there.”
Astronomers have had a theory that supports the existence of such a starless, gas-rich, dark-matter cloud, but this is the first time they have ever found one. The cloud is called a Reionization-Limited H I Cloud (RELHIC). It is a fossil leftover from the early universe. It is rich in neutral hydrogen (H I).
This cloud has been termed a “failed galaxy.” That is, a cloud that never accumulated enough mass to collapse and ignite star formation. The discovery of this RELHIC suggests that there could be many others like it in the universe. It also allows astronomers to peer into the early universe, as such objects are considered remnants of early galaxy formation. The results of the study were published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters.
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The Astrophysical Journal Letters via NASA
Image source: NASA, ESA, VLA, Gagandeep Anand (STScI), Alejandro Benitez-Llambay (University of Milano-Bicocca), and Joseph DePasquale (STScI)
Chibuike Okpara – Tech Writer – 341 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2024
I have always been fascinated by technology and digital devices my entire life and even got addicted to it. I have always marveled at the intricacy of even the simplest digital devices and systems around us. I have been writing and publishing articles online for about 6 years now, just about a year ago, I found myself lost in the marvel of smartphones and laptops we have in our hands every day. I developed a passion for learning about new devices and technologies that come with them and at some point, I asked myself, “Why not get into writing tech articles?” It is useless to say I followed up the idea — it is evident. I am an open-minded individual who derives an infinite amount of joy from researching and discovering new information, I believe there is so much to learn and such a short life to live, so I put my time to good use — learning new things. I am a ‘bookworm’ of the internet and digital devices. When I am not writing, you will find me on my devices still, I do explore and admire the beauty of nature and creatures. I am a fast learner and quickly adapt to changes, always looking forward to new adventures.