Astronomers Photograph Unique Filament in Cosmic Web Connecting Two Galaxies

Astronomers have photographed a unique filament in the cosmic web that connects two galaxies, formed when the Universe was less than 2 billion years old. The cosmic web extends for an astonishing 3 million light-years, making it approximately 30 times larger than the Milky Way. The faint light captured reveals the structure of the visible Universe. The captured light allows precise characterization of its form. These filaments are made of dark matter, the most enigmatic "scaffolding" of the Universe, which does not interact with light and is, therefore, virtually invisible. Gas flowing along these filaments interacts with light, making them easier to visualize. The team used MUSE (Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer) to make this discovery.