Australian astronomers have 'weighed' dark matter associated with the Milky Way, with a surprising result. There is half as much as previously thought, easing the fit between theory and observation.
The original 'lambda cold dark matter' theory (explained in this simulation) predicted the Milky Way should be surrounded by satellite galaxies. But it has only 3 (Large Magellanic Cloud, Small Magellanic Cloud and the Sagittarius Dwarf Galaxy). That's just about what we should see, According to the new dark matter measurement.
Credit: Prof Chris Power and Dr Rick Newton, ICRAR. Music by Reuben Christman
