astronomy

Pisces–Cetus Supercluster Complex

Pisces–Cetus Supercluster Complex 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 Pisces–Cetus Supercluster Complex rather than just read about it. In short: The Pisces–Cetus Supercluster Complex (Pisces–Cetus SCC) or the local superstructure is a galaxy supercluster complex (SCC) that includes the Virgo Supercluster as its outlying member (later confirmed to be part of the Laniakea supercluster), which in turn contains the Local Group and thus the Milky Way. The complex was named after the Pisces–Cetus Superclusters, its richest and most prominent members, which reside…

Key takeaways

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

Reference excerpt

The Pisces–Cetus Supercluster Complex (Pisces–Cetus SCC) or the local superstructure is a galaxy supercluster complex (SCC) that includes the Virgo Supercluster as its outlying member (later confirmed to be part of the Laniakea supercluster), which in turn contains the Local Group and thus the Milky Way. The complex was named after the Pisces–Cetus Superclusters, its richest and most prominent members, which reside in its core and main plane, located at roughly 200 megaparsecs (652 million light-years; 6.17×1021 kilometres) away from Earth.

Observational history Astronomer R. Brent Tully of the University of Hawaii's Institute of Astronomy discovered a very massive agglomeration that includes the Local and Pisces–Cetus Superclusters in 1986, and identified it as the "extended Pisces–Cetus Supercluster", and later the Pisces–Cetus Supercluster Complex in 1987. In addition, four more other nearby supercluster complexes within a redshift of z = 0.1 (roughly 340 megaparsecs) have also been discovered, including Ursa Major, Hercules-Corona Borealis, Leo, and Aquarius Supercluster Complexes. The Aquarius Supercluster Complex was known to contain 25 rich galaxy clusters and is composed of two parts, which are both the Aquarius Region and the Aquarius-Capricornus Region. It along with Pisces–Cetus Supercluster Complex have been shown to contains most of the 114 southern Abell clusters. Only 28 are not associated with these two main complexes, with no other association having more than four members. Following the discovery of those supercluster complexes at the end of the 20th century, more other supercluster complexes were later identified such as Sloan Great Wall and BOSS Great Wall.

Extent The Pisces–Cetus Supercluster Complex is estimated to be about 380 megaparsecs (1.24 billion light-years; 1.17×1022 kilometres) long and 160 megaparsecs (520 million light-years; 4.9×1021 kilometres) wide, making it one of the largest structures known in the observable universe. This brings it to roughly the theoretical limit per the Cosmological Principle. Despite that, larger sizes have been suggested for other structures such as Quipu superstructure, Clowes–Campusano LQG and U1.11, along with the disputed and unconfirmed Huge-LQG, Giant GRB Ring, and Hercules–Corona Borealis Great Wall. 61 rich clusters comprise the complex, which is estimated to have a total mass of approximately 1018 times that of the mass of the Sun (M☉). According to the discoverer, the complex is composed of 5 parts:

The Pisces–Cetus Superclusters The Perseus–Pegasus chain, including the Perseus–Pisces Supercluster The Pegasus–Pisces chain The Sculptor region, including the Sculptor Superclusters The Laniakea, which contains our Virgo Supercluster (Local Supercluster) as well as the Hydra–Centaurus Supercluster. With its mass of 1015 M☉, our Virgo Supercluster accounts for only 0.1 percent of the total mass of the complex. Coma Supercluster was also considered to be part of this complex by the time of its discovery in 1986, which forms the heart of Coma Filament and the larger CfA2 Great Wall. Latest observations of basins of attraction suggested a basin of attraction around Ophiuchus Cluster may be associated with Laniakea, and also have found both, along with Apus and Coma Superclusters, are moving toward the greater Shapley Attractor and may be thus part of the Shapley Concentration.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Pisces–Cetus Supercluster Complex

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Pisces–Cetus Supercluster Complex 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 Pisces–Cetus Supercluster Complex 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 Pisces–Cetus Supercluster Complex 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 Pisces–Cetus Supercluster Complex

In research: Pisces–Cetus Supercluster Complex 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 Pisces–Cetus Supercluster Complex 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: Pisces–Cetus Supercluster Complex is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Astronomical objects discovered in 1987, Galaxy filaments, Pisces–Cetus Supercluster Complex, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Pisces–Cetus Supercluster Complex 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 Pisces–Cetus Supercluster Complex in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Pisces–Cetus Supercluster Complex 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 Pisces–Cetus Supercluster Complex out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Pisces–Cetus Supercluster Complex in simple terms?

Why does Pisces–Cetus Supercluster Complex 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 Pisces–Cetus Supercluster Complex?

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 Pisces–Cetus Supercluster Complex.