"Centaurus A Contradicts Dark Matter Models"

In summary, according to the article in Astronomy Magazine June 2018, the satellite galaxies of Centaurus A are rotating in the same direction in a relatively thin plane, vs randomly distributed if there is a dark matter halo/sphere surrounding large galaxies. This new finding is interesting and may suggest that dark matter does exist, or at least that there is something influencing the rotation of these galaxies.
  • #1
megacal
82
16
According to the article in Astronomy Magazine June 2018, the satellite galaxies of Centaurus A are rotating
in the same direction in a relatively thin plane, vs randomly distributed if there is a dark matter halo/sphere
surrounding large galaxies.

Any thoughts on this new finding? I've only had undergrad physics & math, but am very intrigued & curious about dark matter...or if it even exists, since there is only indirect evidence for it.
  1. Are we inside a cloud of it?
  2. If it has mass, doesn't it coalesce like barions into massive
    solid objects over time?
Thanks in advance for your insights.
 
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  • #2
megacal said:
  1. Are we inside a cloud of it?
  2. If it has mass, doesn't it coalesce like barions into massive
    solid objects over time?
Have you done any research at all into what dark matter is? The most cursory reading regarding it will answer both questions immediately.

And by the way, the question of "does it exist?" is very much the wrong way to look at it. The point is that SOMETHING exists and we understand its characteristics pretty well, we just don't know what it is so we call it "dark matter" until we have a better understanding of what it IS to go along with our understanding of what it does.
 
  • #3
Sorry, Phinds, but that's a very condescending reply to what I still believe are reasonable
questions. This is why I hesitate to ask any questions here.

Yes, I've read many articles about dark matter, and searched here first before asking my questions.

My bad, I should know better by now. Sorry to waste your time.
I'll look elsewhere for answers.
 
  • #4
megacal said:
According to the article in Astronomy Magazine June 2018

Do you mean this article?

http://www.astronomy.com/news/2018/02/centaurus-as-satellites-rotate-together

It's helpful to provide a link when you give a reference, so it's clear exactly what you are referencing.

Also, the arxiv preprint of the actual paper is here:

https://arxiv.org/abs/1802.00081

That is probably a better basis for discussion.

megacal said:
that's a very condescending reply to what I still believe are reasonable
questions

The questions are reasonable. They are also answered easily by looking at the Wikipedia article on dark matter, which does a pretty good job of covering the subject and gives many good references. You will be able to ask more focused questions and get more useful information here if you have some basic background first.
 
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What is Centaurus A?

Centaurus A is a galaxy located about 13 million light years away from Earth. It is a large elliptical galaxy that is believed to have formed from the merger of two smaller galaxies.

How does Centaurus A contradict dark matter models?

Centaurus A has been found to have a large amount of dark matter in its outer regions, which is inconsistent with current dark matter models. These models predict a more uniform distribution of dark matter throughout a galaxy, rather than a concentrated amount in the outer regions.

Can dark matter models be adjusted to account for Centaurus A's properties?

It is possible for dark matter models to be adjusted to account for Centaurus A's properties, but it would require significant modifications to the current models. This could potentially lead to a better understanding of dark matter and its role in galaxy formation.

What other evidence supports the existence of dark matter?

There is a substantial amount of evidence supporting the existence of dark matter, including the rotation curves of galaxies, gravitational lensing, and the cosmic microwave background radiation. These observations cannot be explained by ordinary matter and require the presence of dark matter.

How does the discovery of dark matter in Centaurus A impact our understanding of the universe?

The discovery of dark matter in Centaurus A challenges our current understanding of the universe and the role of dark matter in galaxy formation. It may require a reevaluation of current models and theories, leading to new insights and advancements in our understanding of the universe.

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