Scientists have discovered hundreds of galaxies that are previously hidden from view, behind the Milky Way galaxy, with the help of this new telescope innovation.
This discovery was made using this Australian radio telescope that helped assist the Apollo lunar missions as scientists from ground control can now peer through the thick clouds of gas and dust enshrouding the Milky Way, uncovering 883 galaxies that would remain hidden until now. One third of these stellar concentrations would have been never observed before, where the hidden galaxies can be watched in this new video.
Scientists believe that this new, remarkable region in the galaxy is similar to the "Great Attractor" which is a mysterious cosmic spot in the universe where powerful gravitational forces attract other galaxies towards the core of the Milky Way. Scientists believe that this colossal force is equal to a million billion suns.
According to lead author of the study, Lister Staveley-Smith of the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR), the Milky Way is so interesting and remarkable, as there are new discoveries to be found within, however, our own galaxy is blocking the view of even more mysterious, distant galaxies behind it.
These new findings were obtained from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) Parkes Observatory in Australia, as astronomers discovered three new galactic concentrations known as NW1, NW2 and NW3 and two new clusters called CW1 and CW2. A new 21 centimeter multibeam receiver is apparently installed on top of the observatory that can map any region of the sky 13 times faster than prior observational techniques.
When astronomers were finally able to utilize this new instrument, they were able to identify a region beyond the Milky Way that has been previously unheard of before, that has been elusive to scientists until now. The team will also carry out further research on these newly observed anomalies involving the inner workings of the universe such as its ever expanding qualities and the Great Attractor.
Staveley-Smith reveals how the mechanism behind this powerful gravitational acceleration that is occurring inside the Milky Way is not yet known including its main source. Astronomers do know that there is a region where there are a handful of very massive collections of galaxy clusters or superclusters as our Milky Way is moving towards them for more than 2 million kilometers per hour.
This new study is published in The Astronomical Journal.