Superclusters are large groups of smaller galaxy groups and clusters and are among the largest known structures of the cosmos. They are so large that they are not gravitationally bound and, consequently, partake in the Hubble expansion.
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The existence of superclusters indicates that the galaxies in our Universe are not uniformly distributed; most of them are drawn together in groups and clusters, with groups containing up to 50 galaxies and clusters up to several thousand galaxies. Those groups and clusters and additional isolated galaxies in turn form even larger structures called superclusters.
Superclusters form large structures of galaxies, called "filaments", "supercluster complexes", "walls" or "sheets", that may span between several hundred million light-years to one billion light-years, covering more than 5% of the observable universe. Observations of superclusters likely tell us something about the initial condition of the universe when these superclusters were created. The directions of the rotational axes of galaxies within superclusters may also give us insight into the formation process of galaxies early in the history of the Universe.[1]
According to some astronomers, no clusters of superclusters are known; the existence of structures larger than superclusters is debated (see Galaxy filament). Interspersed among superclusters are large voids of space in which few galaxies exist. Even though superclusters are the largest confirmed structures, the total number of superclusters leaves possibilities for structural distribution.
Superclusters are frequently subdivided into groups of clusters called galaxy clouds.
| Galaxy supercluster | Data | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Local Supercluster |
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It contains the Local Group with our galaxy, the Milky Way. It also contains the Virgo cluster near its center, and is sometimes called the Virgo Supercluster. |
| Hydra-Centaurus Supercluster | It is composed of two lobes, sometimes also referred to as superclusters, or sometimes the entire supercluster is referred to by these other two names
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| Perseus-Pisces Supercluster | ||
| Pavo-Indus Supercluster | ||
| Coma Supercluster | Forms most of the CfA Homunculus, the center of the CfA2 Great Wall galaxy filament | |
| Sculptor Superclusters | SCl 9 | |
| Hercules Superclusters | SCl 160 | |
| Leo Supercluster | SCl 93 | |
| Ophiuchus Supercluster |
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Forming the far wall of the Ophiuchus Void, it may be connected in a filament, with the Pavo-Indus-Telescopium Supercluster and the Hercules Supercluster. This supercluster is centered on the cD cluster Ophiuchus Cluster, and has at least two more galaxy clusters, four more galaxy groups, several field galaxies, as members.[2] |
| Shapley Supercluster | The second supercluster found, after the Local Supercluster. |
| Galaxy supercluster | Data | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pisces-Cetus Supercluster | ||
| Bootes Supercluster | SCl 138 | |
| Horologium Supercluster |
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The entire supercluster is referred to as the Horologium-Reticulum Supercluster |
| Corona Borealis Supercluster | ||
| Columba Supercluster | ||
| Aquarius Supercluster | ||
| Aquarius B Supercluster | ||
| Aquarius-Capricornus Supercluster | ||
| Aquarius-Cetus Supercluster | ||
| Bootes A Supercluster | ||
| Caelum Supercluster | SCl 59 | |
| Draco Supercluster | ||
| Draco-Ursa Major Supercluster | ||
| Fornax-Eridanus Supercluster | ||
| Grus Supercluster | ||
| Leo A Supercluster | ||
| Leo-Sextans Supercluster | ||
| Leo-Virgo Supercluster | SCl 107 | |
| Microscopium Supercluster | SCl 174 | |
| Pegasus-Pisces Supercluster | SCl 3 | |
| Pisces Supercluster | SCl 24 | |
| Pisces-Aries Supercluster | ||
| Ursa Major Supercluster | ||
| Virgo-Coma Supercluster | SCl 111 |
| Galaxy supercluster | Data | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Lynx Supercluster | z=1.27 | Discovered in 1999[3] (as ClG J0848+4453, a name now used to describe the western cluster, with ClG J0849+4452 being the eastern one),[4] it contains at least two clusters RXJ 0848.9+4452 (z=1.26) and RXJ 0848.6+4453 (z=1.27) . At the time of discovery, it became the most distant known supecluster.[5] Additionally, seven smaller groups of galaxies are associated with the supercluster.[6] |
| SCL @ 1338+27 at z=1.1 |
z=1.1 Length=70Mpc |
A rich supercluster with several galaxy clusters was discovered around an unusual concentration of 23 QSOs at z=1.1 in 2001. The size of the complex of clusters may indicate a wall of galaxies exists there, instead of a single supercluster. The size discovered approaches the size of the CfA2 Great Wall filament. At the time of the discovery, it was the largest and most distant supercluster beyond z=0.5 [7][8] |
| SCL @ 1604+43 at z=0.9 | z=0.91 | This supercluster at the time of its discovery was the largest supercluster found so deep into space, in 2000. It consisted of two known rich clusters and one newly discovered cluster as a result of the study that discovered it. The then known clusters were Cl 1604+4304 (z=0.897) and Cl 1604+4321 (z=0.924), which then known to have 21 and 42 known galaxies respectively. The then newly discovered cluster was located at 16h 04m 25.7s, +43° 14′ 44.7″[9] |
| SCL @ 0018+16 at z=0.54 in SA26 | z=0.54 | This supercluster lies around radio galaxy 54W084C (z=0.544) and is composed of at least three large clusters, CL 0016+16 (z=0.5455), RX J0018.3+1618 (z=0.5506), RX J0018.8+1602 .[10] |
| MS 0302+17 |
z=0.42 Length=6Mpc |
This supercluster has at least three member clusters, the eastern cluster CL 0303+1706, southern cluster MS 0302+1659 and northern cluster MS 0302+1717.[11] |
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