Researchers detailed a series of more than 800 "ultra-dark galaxies" a year after less than 50 such galaxies were spotted in the universe.
Published in the journal Astrophysical Letters, the new study detailed 854 ultra-dark galaxies in the Coma Cluster, which pairs with the Leo Cluster to form the Coma Supercluster.
"The findings suggests that these galaxies appear very diffuse and are very likely enveloped by something very massive," study lead author Jin Koda, an associate professor of physics and astronomy at Stony Brook University and the principal investigator of the study, said in a press release. "We believe that something invisible must be protecting the fragile star systems of these galaxies, something with a high mass.
"That 'something' is very likely an excessive amount of dark matter."
The researchers looked into the Coma Berenices constellation to find the cluster, which is comprised of more than 1,000 galaxies. They made their observations with the 8.2-meter Subaru Telescope at the Maua Kei Observatory.
The research could offer some clues to help astronomers better study dark matter, the invisible stuff that makes up a majority of the universe. The dark galaxies appeared to have lost their luminosity because they can no longer produce the gas necessary to form new stars.
"This discovery of dark galaxies may be the tip of the iceberg," Koda said in the release. "We may find more if we look for fainter galaxies embedded in a large amount of dark matter, with the Subaru Telescope and additional observations may expose this hidden side of the Universe."
