Largest Structure in Universe: 4B Light-Years Long LQG

  • Thread starter Thread starter Astronuc
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Group Quasar
Click For Summary
Astronomers have identified the largest known structure in the universe, a large quasar group (LQG) that spans 4 billion light-years. This discovery challenges the cosmological principle, which posits that the universe is homogeneous at large scales. Researchers noted that structures exceeding 1.2 billion light-years were previously thought to be improbable. The LQG consists of highly luminous galactic nuclei powered by supermassive black holes. This finding could prompt a reevaluation of current cosmological theories.
Astronuc
Staff Emeritus
Science Advisor
Gold Member
Messages
22,439
Reaction score
7,347
Astronomers have discovered the largest known structure in the universe, a clump of active galactic cores that stretches 4 billion light-years from end to end.

The structure is a large quasar group (LQG), a collection of extremely luminous galactic nuclei powered by supermassive central black holes. This particular group is so large that it challenges modern cosmological theory, researchers said.
. . . .
The quasar group appears to violate a widely accepted assumption known as the cosmological principle, which holds that the universe is essentially homogeneous when viewed at a sufficiently large scale.

Calculations suggest that structures larger than about 1.2 billion light-years should not exist, researchers said.

. . . .
Largest Structure in Universe Discovered
http://news.yahoo.com/largest-structure-universe-discovered-093416167.html

"An international team led by academics from the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) has found the largest known structure in the universe. The team, led by Dr Roger Clowes from UCLan’s Jeremiah Horrocks Institute, has identified the LQG which is so significant in size it also challenges the Cosmological Principle."
http://www.uclan.ac.uk/news/uclan_team_discover_largest_structure_in_the_universe.php
 
Astronomy news on Phys.org
This is also previously posted in the cosmology forum today
 
In a universe of this size there are bound to be anomalies. How large is large enough to be improbable is a statistical exercise.
 
Hi, I saw someone with an avatar on a different forum that turns out to be the sombrero galaxy. AI says, too distant to know much about, aside from billions of starts, potentially tons of planets, and a supermassive black hole in the center. I find that setup fascinating, despite knowing close to nothing about the universe. So I ask: could anyone point me in the direction of, or provide information about this galaxy? I do not trust AI beyond general information, and I like to go pretty...

Similar threads

Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
Replies
3
Views
3K
  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
2K
  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
4K
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
2K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
Replies
14
Views
4K
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
3K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K