astronomy

Hyperion proto-supercluster

Hyperion proto-supercluster is a astronomy topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Hyperion proto-supercluster rather than just read about it. In short: The Hyperion proto-supercluster is the largest and earliest known proto-supercluster, 5,000 times the mass of the Milky Way and seen at 20% of the current age of the universe. It was discovered in 2018 by analysing the redshifts of 10,000 objects observed with the Very Large Telescope in Chile.

Key takeaways

Hyperion proto-supercluster belongs to astronomy; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Hyperion proto-supercluster to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Hyperion proto-supercluster from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The Hyperion proto-supercluster is the largest and earliest known proto-supercluster, 5,000 times the mass of the Milky Way and seen at 20% of the current age of the universe. It was discovered in 2018 by analysing the redshifts of 10,000 objects observed with the Very Large Telescope in Chile.

Discovery The discovery was announced in late 2018. The discovery team, led by Olga Cucciati, used computational astrophysics methods and astroinformatics; statistical techniques were applied to large datasets of galaxy redshifts, using a two-dimensional Voronoi tessellation to correlate gravitational interaction (virialization) of visible structures. The existence of non-visible (dark matter) structures was inferred. Correlation was based on redshift data captured in a sky survey called VIMOS-VLT Deep Survey, using the Visible Multi Object Spectrograph (VIMOS) instrument of the Very Large Telescope in Chile, and other surveys to a lesser extent. Spectroscopic redshift data for 3,822 objects (galaxies) was selected. The discovery was published in Astronomy & Astrophysics in September 2018.

Physical description The structure is estimated to weigh 4.8 × 1015 solar masses (about 5,000 times the mass of the Milky Way) and to extend 60 Mpc × 60 Mpc × 150 Mpc (196 Mly × 196 Mly × 489 Mly). It lies within the two square degree Cosmic Evolution Survey (COSMOS) field of the constellation Sextans. Hyperion's redshift is z=2.45 putting it 11 billion light years from Earth; it existed at less than 20% of the present age of the Universe. Eventually it is "expected to evolve into something similar to the immense structures in the local universe such as the superclusters making up the Sloan Great Wall or the Virgo Supercluster".

Use in cosmology The supercluster contains dark matter, evidenced by a mismatch between the visible objects in it and their computed gravitational binding. As a relic from the early Universe, the dark matter data could be used to test cosmological theories. As the 2018 paper authors note, "the identification of massive/complex proto-clusters at high redshift could be useful to give constraints on dark matter simulations" of the Lambda-CDM model.

See also Lynx Supercluster, former record-holder supercluster for red shift z=1.26–1.27 (distance or time of formation) CL J1001+0220, record-holder galaxy cluster since 2016 at z=2.5

References

Sources Cucciati, O.; Lemaux, B. C.; Zamorani, G.; Le Fèvre, O.; Tasca, L. A. M.; Hathi, N. P.; Lee, K.-G.; Bardelli, S.; Cassata, P.; Garilli, B.; Le Brun, V.; MacCagni, D.; Pentericci, L.; Thomas, R.; Vanzella, E.; Zucca, E.; Lubin, L. M.; Amorin, R.; Cassarà, L. P.; Cimatti, A.; Talia, M.; Vergani, D.; Koekemoer, A.; Pforr, J.; Salvato, M. (2018). "The progeny of a cosmic titan: A massive multi-component proto-supercluster in formation at z = 2.45 in VUDS". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 619: A49. arXiv:1806.06073. Bibcode:2018A&A...619A..49C. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201833655. S2CID 119472428.

Further reading Douglas Heaven (October 17, 2018), "Cosmic supercluster is largest object ever seen in the early universe", New Scientist Alison Klesman (October 18, 2018), "Astronomers discover a galaxy supercluster growing in the early universe – This titanic group of galaxies was already forming just 2.3 billion years after the Big Bang.", Astronomy.com

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Hyperion proto-supercluster

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Hyperion proto-supercluster claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In astronomy, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Hyperion proto-supercluster before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Hyperion proto-supercluster ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Hyperion proto-supercluster

In research: Hyperion proto-supercluster appears in astronomy research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Hyperion proto-supercluster in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Hyperion proto-supercluster is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Astronomical objects discovered in 2018, Galaxy superclusters, Sextans, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Hyperion proto-supercluster outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Hyperion proto-supercluster in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Hyperion proto-supercluster means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Hyperion proto-supercluster out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Hyperion proto-supercluster in simple terms?

Why does Hyperion proto-supercluster matter?

Because it connects several astronomy ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Hyperion proto-supercluster?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Hyperion proto-supercluster.