Laniakea is the name given to the supercluster of galaxies that contains our own Milky Way galaxy. It is estimated to contain over 100,000 galaxies, stretching over 500 million light years across.
Laniakea was discovered through a study of the movements of galaxies in our local universe. By mapping the gravitational forces between galaxies, scientists were able to identify a large region of space that contains our galaxy and other nearby galaxies.
Laniakea is significant because it gives us a better understanding of our place in the universe. By studying the structure and movements of galaxies in our supercluster, we can gain insight into the evolution of the universe and the forces that shape it.
Laniakea is considered to be a relatively small supercluster compared to others in the universe. It is estimated to contain about 100,000 galaxies, while other superclusters can contain millions of galaxies. However, Laniakea is still an important and significant structure in our local universe.
Laniakea helps to support the idea that the universe is structured and organized on a large scale. It also provides evidence for the existence of dark matter, as the movements of galaxies within Laniakea cannot be fully explained by visible matter alone. Additionally, studying Laniakea and other superclusters can help us better understand the processes that drive the formation and evolution of galaxies and larger structures in the universe.