A single galaxy cluster\u2014hundreds, even thousands, of galaxies held together by gravity\u2014can be as massive as a quadrillion suns, yet faraway clusters are so faint that they are practically invisible to all but the biggest Earth-bound telescopes. Distant clusters hold pieces of the story of how the web-like structure of the universe first emerged and could help illuminate the true nature of dark energy and dark matter.<\/p>\n
Associate Professor of Astronomy, Elizabeth Blanton<\/strong> and her team’s search for these galaxy clusters is delivering its biggest return yet: a catalog of about 200 candidate clusters that, if confirmed, may include some of the most distant clusters ever found.<\/p>\n