Dark-Matter Behavior Puzzles Astronomers

Dark-Matter Behavior Puzzles Astronomers

U.S. astronomers say an observation challenges current theories about dark matter and how it behaves – specifically those theories predicting galaxies should be anchored to dark matter even when they collide with one another.

Data from NASA’s Hubble Telescope shows a clump of dark matter left behind from a wreck between massive clusters of galaxies known as Abell 520 has collected into a “dark core” containing far fewer galaxies than would be expected if the dark matter and galaxies were anchored together. According to a NASA release, most of the galaxies apparently have sailed far away from the collision, leaving their dark matter behind.