Big Bang Location and Dark Matter Detection

Big Bang

The event where all matter was once part of and happened everywhere.

CDMS

Experiment at Soudan Mine using Germanium to detect WIMPs.

WIMP

Acronym for Weakly Interacting Massive Particle.

Gravitational Lensing

Method to detect dark matter in far-away galaxies.

Hubble's Discovery

Realization that our universe contains more than our galaxy.

Dark Matter Candidates

WIMPs, MACHOs, MOND are potential explanations for dark matter.

Interstellar Nebula

Gas and dust between stars in space.

Milky Way Orbit

Takes 250 million years for the sun to orbit the Milky Way center.

Nebulae Types

Emission, Reflection, Dark/Absorption nebulae.

Hubble Deep Field

Image captured in Ursa Major constellation.

Open Cluster

Another term for a Globular Cluster.

Andromeda Galaxy

The closest large galaxy to the Milky Way.

Spiral Galaxies

Galaxy type with the most gas and dust.

Virgo Super Cluster

Nearest cluster of galaxies to us.

Density Waves

Cause matter in spiral galaxies to form arms.

Spiral Galaxy Parts

Comprise Disk, Bulge, and Halo.

Supermassive Black Hole

Found at the center of large galaxies.

Hubble's Law

States the universe is expanding.

Interstellar Dust

Hinders clear vision to the extremes of the universe.

Hydrogen

Element whose absence will darken the universe.

Dark Matter Indication

Galaxies spinning faster than expected, indicating unseen matter.

Mass-Energy Equivalence

Visible matter: 4%, Dark matter: 23%, Dark Energy: 73%.

Dark Energy

Contributes 73% to the mass-energy equivalence in the universe.

Universe Expansion

Currently speeding up.