Astronomers Discover Largest Structure in the Universe: Quipu

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Astronomers have identified what they believe to be the largest structure ever observed in the universe, a vast network of galaxy clusters and superclusters dubbed "Quipu.” This remarkable structure boasts a total mass estimated at 200 quadrillion solar masses and spans approximately 1.3 billion light-years, making it over 13,000 times longer than the Milky Way, surpassing previous record-holders like the Laniākea supercluster, according to the research team behind the discovery.

Quipu's intricate formation comprises a central filament with numerous branching strands, making it a prominent feature in sky maps of galaxy clusters. The discovery is part of ongoing research focused on cosmic structures with redshift values between 0.3 and 0.6, indicating their distance from Earth. The study also uncovered four other massive structures, including the Serpens-Corona Borealis superstructure and the Hercules supercluster, significantly contributing to our understanding of cosmic matter distribution.

The research suggests that such superstructures may influence the universe's expansion and the formation of galaxies, highlighting their importance in cosmic evolution. The findings have been published on the open-access platform arXiv.

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