The mass of the Milky Way was measured with unprecedented accuracy – Moskovsky Komsomolets

He was 700 billion times the mass of the Sun

Yesterday, 16:17 Views: 13739

The most accurate assessment to date the total mass of the Milky way has introduced a group of scientists from Canada. According to the calculations of experts, our galaxy is 700 billion times the mass of the Sun, whose mass is, in turn, is about 330,000 times the mass of the Earth. At the same time 88 percent of the mass of the galaxy is invisible and mysterious dark matter, the researchers note.

Photo: ru.wikipedia.org

Scientists emphasize that measure the mass of the Milky Way, even more difficult than it might seem at first glance. One problem is that for more or less accurate estimate, it is necessary to know the velocity of all the “weighted” sites, including remote, and at the same time bear in mind that the earth itself is moving in the galaxy on a difficult path. Secondly, the very location of the Earth and the solar system allows us to see through the telescope is only part of the galaxy. However, researchers say they were able to get a very accurate figure, taking into account many of the results, which reached scientists previously asked questions about the mass of the Milky Way.

Previously it was assumed that the Milky Way mass of the Sun is about one trillion times , And it was thought that dark matter makes up about 90 percent of the mass. However, developed by astrophysicists algorithm called galactic mass estimator «appraiser mass of the galaxy,” we are convinced experts, allows to fill the gaps of people in knowledge about the surrounding space bodies with less error than any whatsoever other technologies used until now.

Experts hope that their calculations allow a more reliable and advanced models of our galaxy, and help to better understand the dark matter and dark energy, which direct observation is not possible. All this, in turn, will provide more accurate information about the other galaxies in the universe, and therefore gain new knowledge about its history and current status.

On the results to experts reported at the annual meeting of the Canadian Astronomical Vinngipege in society, as they offered their research for publication in a scientific publication Astrophysical Journal.