1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:01,760 Welcome back to Cosmos in a Pod. 2 00:00:01,760 --> 00:00:03,760 It's our space and astronomy series. 3 00:00:03,760 --> 00:00:06,060 And today we're gonna be taking a deep dive 4 00:00:06,060 --> 00:00:08,040 into something called the Great Attractor. 5 00:00:08,040 --> 00:00:10,320 Oh yeah, the Great Attractor. 6 00:00:10,320 --> 00:00:12,840 It's so fascinating how it influences 7 00:00:12,840 --> 00:00:17,840 the movement of galaxies across the universe. 8 00:00:18,440 --> 00:00:20,840 Like all these galaxies out there in space 9 00:00:20,840 --> 00:00:21,920 doing their thing. 10 00:00:21,920 --> 00:00:25,400 Turns out they're not just randomly floating around. 11 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:28,520 They're actually part of this massive cosmic dance. 12 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:29,360 I like that. 13 00:00:29,360 --> 00:00:30,520 You know what I mean? 14 00:00:30,520 --> 00:00:34,200 This flow driven by these powerful invisible forces. 15 00:00:34,200 --> 00:00:35,040 That's right. 16 00:00:35,040 --> 00:00:38,280 Almost like if you can imagine a giant invisible hand 17 00:00:38,280 --> 00:00:41,120 pulling entire clusters of galaxies 18 00:00:41,120 --> 00:00:43,840 across vast stretches of space. 19 00:00:43,840 --> 00:00:45,800 That's kind of what the Great Attractor's doing 20 00:00:45,800 --> 00:00:47,320 and that's what we're gonna explore today. 21 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:48,160 Let's get into it. 22 00:00:48,160 --> 00:00:50,280 So can you help me and our listeners 23 00:00:50,280 --> 00:00:52,560 understand this cosmic dance a little better? 24 00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:53,400 Sure. 25 00:00:53,400 --> 00:00:56,840 What is behind this pull on these galaxies? 26 00:00:56,840 --> 00:00:58,840 Well we gotta start with the Great Attractor itself. 27 00:00:58,840 --> 00:01:01,960 So picture this, like a gravitational anomaly, 28 00:01:01,960 --> 00:01:03,640 a region of space. 29 00:01:03,640 --> 00:01:08,080 But this region of space has such immense gravity 30 00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:10,320 that it pulls everything towards it. 31 00:01:10,320 --> 00:01:11,160 Oh okay. 32 00:01:11,160 --> 00:01:16,160 And this thing is located about 150 to 250 million 33 00:01:16,440 --> 00:01:18,240 light years away from us. 34 00:01:18,240 --> 00:01:19,200 Whoa, that's far. 35 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:21,680 Yeah, towards the Centaurus constellation. 36 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:26,280 So we're talking about something mind bogglingly huge 37 00:01:26,280 --> 00:01:27,960 and far away. 38 00:01:27,960 --> 00:01:31,400 How did astronomers even figure out it was there? 39 00:01:31,400 --> 00:01:33,920 Well it's kind of like a detective story, you know? 40 00:01:33,920 --> 00:01:34,840 Oh fun. 41 00:01:34,840 --> 00:01:37,440 Back in the 70s and 80s, 42 00:01:37,440 --> 00:01:39,920 astronomers were studying the way galaxies move. 43 00:01:39,920 --> 00:01:40,760 Yeah, makes sense. 44 00:01:40,760 --> 00:01:43,160 And they noticed something interesting. 45 00:01:43,160 --> 00:01:46,880 Our Milky Way, along with a whole bunch of other galaxies, 46 00:01:46,880 --> 00:01:49,760 were moving towards a specific region. 47 00:01:49,760 --> 00:01:50,600 Interesting. 48 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:53,560 But they were moving at a speed far greater 49 00:01:53,560 --> 00:01:56,000 than the visible matter around us could explain. 50 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:57,360 Oh, so like way faster. 51 00:01:57,360 --> 00:01:59,480 Way faster, like they were being pulled towards it. 52 00:01:59,480 --> 00:02:02,440 So it's as if they stumbled upon a cosmic current. 53 00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:03,840 Yeah, yeah, you could say that. 54 00:02:03,840 --> 00:02:06,160 That was just sweeping these galaxies along. 55 00:02:06,160 --> 00:02:07,640 Exactly, that's a good way to put it. 56 00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:10,840 It was like watching a river flow uphill, you know? 57 00:02:10,840 --> 00:02:13,800 Defying the laws of gravity as we knew them. 58 00:02:13,800 --> 00:02:15,040 And that's when they realized 59 00:02:15,040 --> 00:02:17,400 there had to be something massive out there. 60 00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:19,720 Something invisible to us directly, 61 00:02:19,720 --> 00:02:22,680 but exerting this tremendous gravitational pull. 62 00:02:22,680 --> 00:02:24,360 And they called that the Great Attractor. 63 00:02:24,360 --> 00:02:25,200 They did. 64 00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:26,200 Makes sense. 65 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:28,160 This is where it gets really intriguing. 66 00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:30,880 If we can't see this Great Attractor, 67 00:02:30,880 --> 00:02:32,200 how do we know anything about it? 68 00:02:32,200 --> 00:02:34,960 Yeah, that's the big question, right? 69 00:02:34,960 --> 00:02:36,600 It's a challenge for sure. 70 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:40,240 Because this thing is hidden behind a dense part 71 00:02:40,240 --> 00:02:44,880 of our own Milky Way galaxy, called the Zone of Avoidance. 72 00:02:44,880 --> 00:02:45,720 Really? 73 00:02:45,720 --> 00:02:48,960 Yeah, and this zone is packed with dust and gas 74 00:02:48,960 --> 00:02:50,520 that obscures our view. 75 00:02:50,520 --> 00:02:52,520 So it's like trying to peer through a thick fog. 76 00:02:52,520 --> 00:02:55,440 Yeah, pretty much, like a cosmic fog, right? 77 00:02:55,440 --> 00:02:56,320 So how do they do it? 78 00:02:56,320 --> 00:03:00,200 So how do astronomers penetrate this cosmic fog? 79 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:01,960 So they've had to get creative. 80 00:03:01,960 --> 00:03:05,760 They use special tools like infrared and X-ray telescopes. 81 00:03:05,760 --> 00:03:09,520 And these can see beyond the visible light spectrum. 82 00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:12,440 So they can kind of pierce through the dust and gas 83 00:03:12,440 --> 00:03:16,480 and allow us to catch glimpses of the galaxies 84 00:03:16,480 --> 00:03:19,280 and clusters being pulled towards the Great Attractor. 85 00:03:19,280 --> 00:03:20,360 Oh, that's so cool. 86 00:03:20,360 --> 00:03:22,760 So it sounds like we're using night vision goggles. 87 00:03:22,760 --> 00:03:23,800 Yeah, something like that. 88 00:03:23,800 --> 00:03:25,240 To see through the darkness. 89 00:03:25,240 --> 00:03:25,800 Right. 90 00:03:25,800 --> 00:03:26,720 Yeah. 91 00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:28,680 So what have we learned from these glimpses? 92 00:03:28,680 --> 00:03:29,360 Oh, OK. 93 00:03:29,360 --> 00:03:32,000 What is the Great Attractor actually made of? 94 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:34,400 Well, that's a question that's puzzled astronomers 95 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:36,080 for decades. 96 00:03:36,080 --> 00:03:39,400 We know it exerts a massive gravitational pull. 97 00:03:39,400 --> 00:03:40,280 Right. 98 00:03:40,280 --> 00:03:43,160 But the exact composition, we're still debating it. 99 00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:46,080 Is it like one gigantic object? 100 00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:48,120 It's not a single object, no. 101 00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:48,600 OK. 102 00:03:48,600 --> 00:03:52,240 It's more like a region of space filled with a lot of stuff. 103 00:03:52,240 --> 00:03:53,400 OK, like what? 104 00:03:53,400 --> 00:03:59,320 Likely a combination of regular matter, like galaxies and gas 105 00:03:59,320 --> 00:04:04,080 clouds, but also something far more mysterious. 106 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:04,760 What's that? 107 00:04:04,760 --> 00:04:05,600 Dark matter. 108 00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:07,800 Ooh, dark matter. 109 00:04:07,800 --> 00:04:10,000 OK, you've definitely piqued my curiosity. 110 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:12,320 Can you explain what dark matter is? 111 00:04:12,320 --> 00:04:12,840 Yeah. 112 00:04:12,840 --> 00:04:14,640 And why it's important in this context? 113 00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:17,960 OK, so dark matter is this fascinating enigma. 114 00:04:17,960 --> 00:04:18,520 OK. 115 00:04:18,520 --> 00:04:21,920 It doesn't interact with light, so we can't see it directly. 116 00:04:21,920 --> 00:04:22,400 What? 117 00:04:22,400 --> 00:04:25,000 It's like a phantom presence in the universe. 118 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:27,160 So how do we even know it's there? 119 00:04:27,160 --> 00:04:29,640 We can kind of infer its existence, though, right? 120 00:04:29,640 --> 00:04:30,160 Yeah. 121 00:04:30,160 --> 00:04:31,360 Through its gravitational effects. 122 00:04:31,360 --> 00:04:31,880 OK. 123 00:04:31,880 --> 00:04:34,640 On things that we can see, like the way galaxies 124 00:04:34,640 --> 00:04:36,800 move and cluster together. 125 00:04:36,800 --> 00:04:41,720 It's as if dark matter acts like an invisible scaffolding. 126 00:04:41,720 --> 00:04:42,240 Oh, OK. 127 00:04:42,240 --> 00:04:43,920 Holding the universe together. 128 00:04:43,920 --> 00:04:45,920 And this invisible scaffolding plays 129 00:04:45,920 --> 00:04:48,200 a role in the Great Attractor. 130 00:04:48,200 --> 00:04:49,320 Oh, absolutely. 131 00:04:49,320 --> 00:04:51,960 The Great Attractor, with its immense gravity, 132 00:04:51,960 --> 00:04:53,800 is like the prime suspect for holding 133 00:04:53,800 --> 00:04:55,360 huge amounts of dark matter. 134 00:04:55,360 --> 00:04:56,440 Oh, wow. 135 00:04:56,440 --> 00:05:00,080 So it suggests that dark matter is concentrated in that region, 136 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:02,480 contributing to this powerful attraction. 137 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:04,440 This is mind blowing. 138 00:05:04,440 --> 00:05:06,680 So given all this gravitational pull, 139 00:05:06,680 --> 00:05:09,060 is everything just going to fall into this Great Attractor 140 00:05:09,060 --> 00:05:09,640 eventually? 141 00:05:09,640 --> 00:05:11,000 That's a good question. 142 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:14,840 Is that the ultimate fate of our galaxy and others 143 00:05:14,840 --> 00:05:16,320 caught in its web? 144 00:05:16,320 --> 00:05:21,360 That question leads us to another force at play. 145 00:05:21,360 --> 00:05:22,120 Dark energy. 146 00:05:22,120 --> 00:05:22,760 Oh, dark energy. 147 00:05:22,760 --> 00:05:23,280 There we go. 148 00:05:23,280 --> 00:05:25,200 The universe is expanding, right? 149 00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:27,360 And that expansion, it's actually accelerating. 150 00:05:27,360 --> 00:05:27,860 Yeah. 151 00:05:27,860 --> 00:05:30,200 Because of this mysterious dark energy. 152 00:05:30,200 --> 00:05:30,700 OK. 153 00:05:30,700 --> 00:05:33,880 It's like a cosmic anti-gravity, pushing everything apart. 154 00:05:33,880 --> 00:05:36,160 So we've got this cosmic tug of war going on. 155 00:05:36,160 --> 00:05:36,800 Exactly. 156 00:05:36,800 --> 00:05:38,240 Gravity's pulling things in. 157 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:39,640 Dark energy's pushing them apart. 158 00:05:39,640 --> 00:05:40,160 Yeah. 159 00:05:40,160 --> 00:05:41,240 The outcome. 160 00:05:41,240 --> 00:05:43,040 It's uncertain. 161 00:05:43,040 --> 00:05:46,480 We don't know if the Great Attractor will win and pull 162 00:05:46,480 --> 00:05:48,480 everything in, or if the universe will just keep 163 00:05:48,480 --> 00:05:50,320 expanding, pushing things apart. 164 00:05:50,320 --> 00:05:50,880 Oh, my god. 165 00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:52,120 It's a mystery. 166 00:05:52,120 --> 00:05:52,620 Yeah. 167 00:05:52,620 --> 00:05:55,800 With enormous implications for the future of the cosmos. 168 00:05:55,800 --> 00:05:57,120 Right. 169 00:05:57,120 --> 00:05:58,280 This is also fascinating. 170 00:05:58,280 --> 00:05:59,280 It is. 171 00:05:59,280 --> 00:06:01,760 It seems like the Great Attractor is just one piece 172 00:06:01,760 --> 00:06:03,580 of a much larger cosmic puzzle. 173 00:06:03,580 --> 00:06:04,760 You got it. 174 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:07,520 Are there other attractors out there in the universe? 175 00:06:07,520 --> 00:06:08,020 Yeah. 176 00:06:08,020 --> 00:06:11,040 Other regions with this kind of gravitational influence? 177 00:06:11,040 --> 00:06:14,880 The Great Attractor is part of a larger cosmic flow, 178 00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:19,000 like a grand dance of galaxies driven by gravity. 179 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:21,600 And there are other massive structures out there, 180 00:06:21,600 --> 00:06:24,040 like super clusters of galaxies, that 181 00:06:24,040 --> 00:06:26,180 exert significant gravitational influence 182 00:06:26,180 --> 00:06:27,140 on their surroundings. 183 00:06:27,140 --> 00:06:29,840 So it's like a whole network of these cosmic influencers. 184 00:06:29,840 --> 00:06:30,340 Yeah. 185 00:06:30,340 --> 00:06:31,400 Think of it like that. 186 00:06:31,400 --> 00:06:34,120 All shaping the universe on a grand scale. 187 00:06:34,120 --> 00:06:35,960 It's all interconnected, you see. 188 00:06:35,960 --> 00:06:38,640 This intricate web of gravitational forces 189 00:06:38,640 --> 00:06:41,720 constantly pulling and pushing, shaping the cosmos 190 00:06:41,720 --> 00:06:43,280 as we know it. 191 00:06:43,280 --> 00:06:46,680 And the Great Attractor, just one piece 192 00:06:46,680 --> 00:06:48,880 of this grand cosmic ballet. 193 00:06:48,880 --> 00:06:51,000 Well, this has been an incredible journey so far. 194 00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:51,800 Just the beginning. 195 00:06:51,800 --> 00:06:52,280 Yeah. 196 00:06:52,280 --> 00:06:54,920 It's amazing to think about these unseen forces 197 00:06:54,920 --> 00:06:57,320 shaping the cosmos and influencing 198 00:06:57,320 --> 00:06:59,520 the destiny of galaxies, including our own. 199 00:06:59,520 --> 00:07:00,000 Yeah. 200 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:01,600 It is pretty amazing, isn't it? 201 00:07:01,600 --> 00:07:03,560 It's a testament to the power of gravity 202 00:07:03,560 --> 00:07:06,240 and the interconnectedness of everything in the universe. 203 00:07:06,240 --> 00:07:08,440 This is just the beginning of our deep dive 204 00:07:08,440 --> 00:07:10,200 into the Great Attractor. 205 00:07:10,200 --> 00:07:11,880 We'll be back after a short break 206 00:07:11,880 --> 00:07:14,720 to delve even deeper into this cosmic enigma. 207 00:07:14,720 --> 00:07:15,920 Stay tuned. 208 00:07:15,920 --> 00:07:18,840 We're back and still on this journey to the Great Attractor. 209 00:07:18,840 --> 00:07:19,640 I know. 210 00:07:19,640 --> 00:07:21,920 We went to the break, but my mind never 211 00:07:21,920 --> 00:07:23,000 left the Great Attractor. 212 00:07:23,000 --> 00:07:23,840 Yeah. 213 00:07:23,840 --> 00:07:25,760 You mentioned before the break that it's part 214 00:07:25,760 --> 00:07:26,880 of this larger cosmic flow. 215 00:07:26,880 --> 00:07:27,360 Right. 216 00:07:27,360 --> 00:07:29,360 Can you elaborate on what that means? 217 00:07:29,360 --> 00:07:30,000 Sure. 218 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:34,160 And how does it shape the universe on such a grand scale? 219 00:07:34,160 --> 00:07:39,320 OK, so imagine the universe like a vast cosmic ocean. 220 00:07:39,320 --> 00:07:40,080 Oh, I like that. 221 00:07:40,080 --> 00:07:42,320 With currents and eddies swirling around. 222 00:07:42,320 --> 00:07:42,920 OK. 223 00:07:42,920 --> 00:07:46,240 That's a simplified way to picture cosmic flow. 224 00:07:46,240 --> 00:07:46,880 OK. 225 00:07:46,880 --> 00:07:51,920 It's the overall movement of galaxies, galaxy clusters, 226 00:07:51,920 --> 00:07:53,960 due to the gravitational influence 227 00:07:53,960 --> 00:07:56,160 of these massive structures like the Great Attractor. 228 00:07:56,160 --> 00:07:57,040 Oh, OK. 229 00:07:57,040 --> 00:08:00,080 So these attractors are like massive cosmic whirlpools. 230 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:00,480 Yeah. 231 00:08:00,480 --> 00:08:01,960 Just drawing in everything around them. 232 00:08:01,960 --> 00:08:03,160 Yeah, that's a good analogy. 233 00:08:03,160 --> 00:08:03,520 OK. 234 00:08:03,520 --> 00:08:05,800 But it's important to remember this pull isn't 235 00:08:05,800 --> 00:08:08,240 instantaneous or even uniform. 236 00:08:08,240 --> 00:08:08,720 Right. 237 00:08:08,720 --> 00:08:11,480 The universe is also expanding. 238 00:08:11,480 --> 00:08:11,960 Right. 239 00:08:11,960 --> 00:08:14,760 And that expansion is accelerating because of dark 240 00:08:14,760 --> 00:08:15,640 energy, remember. 241 00:08:15,640 --> 00:08:19,120 Right, the cosmic tug of war between gravity and dark energy. 242 00:08:19,120 --> 00:08:19,640 Yes. 243 00:08:19,640 --> 00:08:24,240 So how does the Great Attractor factor into this cosmic dance? 244 00:08:24,240 --> 00:08:26,640 Is it powerful enough to overcome 245 00:08:26,640 --> 00:08:28,360 the expansion of the universe? 246 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:30,920 That's a question that's still being debated, to be honest. 247 00:08:30,920 --> 00:08:31,520 OK. 248 00:08:31,520 --> 00:08:34,120 It's likely that the fate of galaxies caught 249 00:08:34,120 --> 00:08:37,360 in the Great Attractor's pull is a complex interplay 250 00:08:37,360 --> 00:08:38,680 of these forces. 251 00:08:38,680 --> 00:08:40,640 Some models suggest they might actually 252 00:08:40,640 --> 00:08:44,840 merge into a giant super galaxy. 253 00:08:44,840 --> 00:08:47,320 While others point to the universe's expansion 254 00:08:47,320 --> 00:08:48,720 just tearing them apart. 255 00:08:48,720 --> 00:08:49,600 Oh, my goodness. 256 00:08:49,600 --> 00:08:52,440 So it's not a guaranteed everything 257 00:08:52,440 --> 00:08:55,000 collapses into the Great Attractor scenario? 258 00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:56,480 Not necessarily, no. 259 00:08:56,480 --> 00:08:56,980 OK. 260 00:08:56,980 --> 00:08:59,360 There are many factors at play. 261 00:08:59,360 --> 00:09:02,600 And the final outcome is still very uncertain. 262 00:09:02,600 --> 00:09:05,760 It's a reminder that the universe is constantly evolving. 263 00:09:05,760 --> 00:09:09,720 And these cosmic forces are in this delicate balance. 264 00:09:09,720 --> 00:09:10,280 Yeah. 265 00:09:10,280 --> 00:09:12,640 This makes me wonder about our own Milky Way galaxy. 266 00:09:12,640 --> 00:09:13,000 Yeah. 267 00:09:13,000 --> 00:09:14,880 We know it's moving towards the Great Attractor. 268 00:09:14,880 --> 00:09:15,440 Right. 269 00:09:15,440 --> 00:09:17,600 Is that something we should be worried about? 270 00:09:17,600 --> 00:09:18,160 Not really. 271 00:09:18,160 --> 00:09:20,800 I mean, the timescales involved in these cosmic movements 272 00:09:20,800 --> 00:09:22,680 are incredibly fast. 273 00:09:22,680 --> 00:09:24,800 We're talking billions of years. 274 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:25,320 OK. 275 00:09:25,320 --> 00:09:28,700 Plus, as we mentioned, the universe's expansion 276 00:09:28,700 --> 00:09:30,960 is also a powerful force. 277 00:09:30,960 --> 00:09:31,460 Right. 278 00:09:31,460 --> 00:09:34,920 And it's unclear which force will ultimately dominate. 279 00:09:34,920 --> 00:09:35,400 Yeah. 280 00:09:35,400 --> 00:09:36,160 Yeah. 281 00:09:36,160 --> 00:09:37,920 OK, that's reassuring. 282 00:09:37,920 --> 00:09:40,640 But it still begs the question, what 283 00:09:40,640 --> 00:09:43,680 lies at the heart of this Great Attractor? 284 00:09:43,680 --> 00:09:46,240 Is it just a massive concentration of galaxies 285 00:09:46,240 --> 00:09:47,440 and dark matter? 286 00:09:47,440 --> 00:09:47,960 Wow. 287 00:09:47,960 --> 00:09:50,840 Or is there something even more exotic at play? 288 00:09:50,840 --> 00:09:53,880 That's one of the biggest mysteries surrounding 289 00:09:53,880 --> 00:09:55,120 the Great Attractor, right. 290 00:09:55,120 --> 00:09:55,680 Yeah. 291 00:09:55,680 --> 00:09:58,320 It's difficult to observe directly because, remember, 292 00:09:58,320 --> 00:10:00,360 it's obscured by the zone of avoidance. 293 00:10:00,360 --> 00:10:01,440 Oh, right, right, right. 294 00:10:01,440 --> 00:10:04,640 But scientists do have some intriguing theories. 295 00:10:04,640 --> 00:10:05,480 Like what? 296 00:10:05,480 --> 00:10:06,920 Spill the cosmic tea. 297 00:10:06,920 --> 00:10:08,580 Well, some researchers think there 298 00:10:08,580 --> 00:10:10,960 might be a supermassive black hole. 299 00:10:10,960 --> 00:10:12,080 Oh, wow. 300 00:10:12,080 --> 00:10:14,520 Lurking at the center of the Great Attractor. 301 00:10:14,520 --> 00:10:15,320 What? 302 00:10:15,320 --> 00:10:18,800 A black hole so massive that its gravitational pull 303 00:10:18,800 --> 00:10:20,560 anchors the entire region. 304 00:10:20,560 --> 00:10:22,400 A supermassive black hole. 305 00:10:22,400 --> 00:10:23,720 That's wild. 306 00:10:23,720 --> 00:10:25,240 It is a pretty wild idea. 307 00:10:25,240 --> 00:10:25,740 Yeah. 308 00:10:25,740 --> 00:10:28,560 But it's not outside the realm of possibility, right? 309 00:10:28,560 --> 00:10:30,960 I mean, supermassive black holes exist 310 00:10:30,960 --> 00:10:33,800 at the centers of many galaxies, including our own. 311 00:10:33,800 --> 00:10:34,520 True. 312 00:10:34,520 --> 00:10:37,760 So this supermassive black hole, if it exists, 313 00:10:37,760 --> 00:10:41,040 would be like the conductor of this cosmic orchestra. 314 00:10:41,040 --> 00:10:41,540 Yeah. 315 00:10:41,540 --> 00:10:43,720 Dictating the movements of all the galaxies 316 00:10:43,720 --> 00:10:44,880 in the Great Attractor region. 317 00:10:44,880 --> 00:10:46,040 It's a compelling thought. 318 00:10:46,040 --> 00:10:46,540 Yeah. 319 00:10:46,540 --> 00:10:49,520 But it's important to remember, this is still a hypothesis. 320 00:10:49,520 --> 00:10:50,020 Yeah. 321 00:10:50,020 --> 00:10:53,560 And more research is needed to confirm or refute it. 322 00:10:53,560 --> 00:10:54,080 OK. 323 00:10:54,080 --> 00:10:57,760 So we've got this massive region of space, immense gravity, 324 00:10:57,760 --> 00:11:00,480 possibly anchored by a supermassive black hole. 325 00:11:00,480 --> 00:11:01,000 Possible. 326 00:11:01,000 --> 00:11:03,680 Pulling in galaxies from vast distances. 327 00:11:03,680 --> 00:11:04,280 Yeah. 328 00:11:04,280 --> 00:11:07,080 What tools and techniques are astronomers 329 00:11:07,080 --> 00:11:09,360 using to unravel these mysteries? 330 00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:09,860 OK. 331 00:11:09,860 --> 00:11:13,680 So astronomers are using a whole arsenal of cutting edge tools. 332 00:11:13,680 --> 00:11:14,180 Oh, cool. 333 00:11:14,180 --> 00:11:15,440 To study the Great Attractor. 334 00:11:15,440 --> 00:11:15,960 Yeah. 335 00:11:15,960 --> 00:11:18,720 One approach is using radio telescopes. 336 00:11:18,720 --> 00:11:19,280 OK. 337 00:11:19,280 --> 00:11:22,640 To map the distribution of hydrogen gas in the universe. 338 00:11:22,640 --> 00:11:24,000 Why hydrogen gas? 339 00:11:24,000 --> 00:11:26,840 Well, hydrogen is the most abundant element in the cosmos. 340 00:11:26,840 --> 00:11:27,680 Oh, OK. 341 00:11:27,680 --> 00:11:30,040 And it emits radio waves that can penetrate 342 00:11:30,040 --> 00:11:31,680 through the dust and gas. 343 00:11:31,680 --> 00:11:34,440 That obscures our view of the Great Attractor. 344 00:11:34,440 --> 00:11:36,800 So it's like using a special kind of x-ray vision. 345 00:11:36,800 --> 00:11:37,800 Yeah, exactly. 346 00:11:37,800 --> 00:11:39,400 To see through the cosmic fog. 347 00:11:39,400 --> 00:11:42,120 By mapping the hydrogen gas, astronomers 348 00:11:42,120 --> 00:11:44,960 can trace the large scale structure of the universe. 349 00:11:44,960 --> 00:11:45,680 Wow. 350 00:11:45,680 --> 00:11:48,860 Including the filaments and clusters of galaxies 351 00:11:48,860 --> 00:11:50,520 that make up the Great Attractor. 352 00:11:50,520 --> 00:11:52,600 So we're talking about creating a 3D map. 353 00:11:52,600 --> 00:11:53,400 Pretty much. 354 00:11:53,400 --> 00:11:54,400 Of the cosmic web. 355 00:11:54,400 --> 00:11:54,800 Yeah. 356 00:11:54,800 --> 00:11:56,680 Showing how all these structures are connected. 357 00:11:56,680 --> 00:11:57,200 Exactly. 358 00:11:57,200 --> 00:12:01,680 And these maps, they're giving us an unprecedented view 359 00:12:01,680 --> 00:12:03,580 of the cosmic landscape and helping 360 00:12:03,580 --> 00:12:06,280 us understand how the Great Attractor fits 361 00:12:06,280 --> 00:12:08,080 into the grand scheme of things. 362 00:12:08,080 --> 00:12:09,320 That's amazing. 363 00:12:09,320 --> 00:12:11,760 It's like piecing together a giant cosmic puzzle. 364 00:12:11,760 --> 00:12:12,520 It is, yeah. 365 00:12:12,520 --> 00:12:14,240 What other techniques are being used 366 00:12:14,240 --> 00:12:15,600 to study the Great Attractor? 367 00:12:15,600 --> 00:12:18,760 Another powerful tool is gravitational lensing. 368 00:12:18,760 --> 00:12:20,720 OK, remind me what's gravitational lensing. 369 00:12:20,720 --> 00:12:24,320 OK, so it's a phenomenon predicted by Einstein's theory 370 00:12:24,320 --> 00:12:25,800 of general relativity. 371 00:12:25,800 --> 00:12:27,000 OK, got it. 372 00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:31,080 Essentially, massive objects like galaxies and clusters 373 00:12:31,080 --> 00:12:34,440 can bend the path of light, passing by them. 374 00:12:34,440 --> 00:12:34,940 Really? 375 00:12:34,940 --> 00:12:37,720 Like using a giant cosmic magnifying glass. 376 00:12:37,720 --> 00:12:38,600 Whoa, OK. 377 00:12:38,600 --> 00:12:42,240 So how does that help us study the Great Attractor? 378 00:12:42,240 --> 00:12:45,160 By studying the way light is distorted 379 00:12:45,160 --> 00:12:47,280 by the Great Attractor, astronomers 380 00:12:47,280 --> 00:12:49,960 can infer the distribution of mass within it, 381 00:12:49,960 --> 00:12:52,080 including the invisible dark matter. 382 00:12:52,080 --> 00:12:53,640 It's like weighing the Great Attractor 383 00:12:53,640 --> 00:12:56,160 by measuring how much it bends the light around it. 384 00:12:56,160 --> 00:12:57,380 That's a great way to put it. 385 00:12:57,380 --> 00:13:00,960 And these studies, they're providing valuable insights 386 00:13:00,960 --> 00:13:03,600 into the composition and structure of the Great 387 00:13:03,600 --> 00:13:04,160 Attractor. 388 00:13:04,160 --> 00:13:05,560 Even though we can't observe it directly. 389 00:13:05,560 --> 00:13:07,160 Even though we can't observe it directly. 390 00:13:07,160 --> 00:13:08,480 That's incredible. 391 00:13:08,480 --> 00:13:10,960 It's amazing how astronomers are finding ways 392 00:13:10,960 --> 00:13:15,960 to study these incredibly distant and invisible objects. 393 00:13:15,960 --> 00:13:17,400 What are some of the key questions 394 00:13:17,400 --> 00:13:19,720 that researchers are hoping to answer about the Great 395 00:13:19,720 --> 00:13:21,480 Attractor in the coming years? 396 00:13:21,480 --> 00:13:23,560 Oh, there are many unanswered questions. 397 00:13:23,560 --> 00:13:25,360 But some of the most pressing, I think, 398 00:13:25,360 --> 00:13:28,520 are like, what exactly is the nature of the object 399 00:13:28,520 --> 00:13:31,320 or objects at the center of the Great Attractor? 400 00:13:31,320 --> 00:13:36,080 How does its influence extend across such vast distances? 401 00:13:36,080 --> 00:13:38,360 And perhaps most importantly, how 402 00:13:38,360 --> 00:13:41,200 does the interplay between its pull and the universe's 403 00:13:41,200 --> 00:13:44,400 expansion shape the ultimate fate of galaxies 404 00:13:44,400 --> 00:13:46,200 caught in its web? 405 00:13:46,200 --> 00:13:47,840 Those are some big questions. 406 00:13:47,840 --> 00:13:49,880 It sounds like we're on the verge of some major 407 00:13:49,880 --> 00:13:51,920 breakthroughs in our understanding of the Great 408 00:13:51,920 --> 00:13:53,920 Attractor and the universe as a whole. 409 00:13:53,920 --> 00:13:55,120 Yeah, I think so too. 410 00:13:55,120 --> 00:13:57,580 I'm eager to see what new discoveries and insights 411 00:13:57,580 --> 00:13:58,800 emerge in the coming years. 412 00:13:58,800 --> 00:14:00,480 Me too. 413 00:14:00,480 --> 00:14:03,000 The Great Attractor is a powerful reminder 414 00:14:03,000 --> 00:14:06,760 that the universe is full of wonders and mysteries. 415 00:14:06,760 --> 00:14:10,080 And our quest to understand them is an ongoing journey. 416 00:14:10,080 --> 00:14:11,920 Well, this has been an incredible deep dive 417 00:14:11,920 --> 00:14:13,080 into the Great Attractor. 418 00:14:13,080 --> 00:14:15,760 I'm still reeling from all the mind-blowing information 419 00:14:15,760 --> 00:14:16,320 we've covered. 420 00:14:16,320 --> 00:14:17,320 It's a lot to take in. 421 00:14:17,320 --> 00:14:20,200 But before we wrap things up, I have one last question for you. 422 00:14:20,200 --> 00:14:21,400 OK, shoot. 423 00:14:21,400 --> 00:14:24,920 If you could leave our listeners with one takeaway message 424 00:14:24,920 --> 00:14:28,140 about the Great Attractor, what would it be? 425 00:14:28,140 --> 00:14:32,840 If I had to pick one takeaway message, it would be this. 426 00:14:32,840 --> 00:14:34,960 The universe is dynamic. 427 00:14:34,960 --> 00:14:36,120 It's interconnected. 428 00:14:36,120 --> 00:14:37,760 The Great Attractor is just one example, 429 00:14:37,760 --> 00:14:40,800 one of these powerful forces that shape the cosmos 430 00:14:40,800 --> 00:14:42,520 on this grand scale. 431 00:14:42,520 --> 00:14:44,640 And these forces, they're always at work, right? 432 00:14:44,640 --> 00:14:48,800 Pulling, pushing, shaping the destiny of galaxies, 433 00:14:48,800 --> 00:14:51,360 driving the evolution of the universe itself. 434 00:14:51,360 --> 00:14:53,480 Yeah, it really makes you feel small, doesn't it? 435 00:14:53,480 --> 00:14:56,040 We're just a tiny part of something so much bigger 436 00:14:56,040 --> 00:14:56,720 than ourselves. 437 00:14:56,720 --> 00:14:57,680 Absolutely. 438 00:14:57,680 --> 00:14:59,480 And there's so much we still don't know. 439 00:14:59,480 --> 00:15:00,320 That's true. 440 00:15:00,320 --> 00:15:02,120 That's what makes it exciting, though, right? 441 00:15:02,120 --> 00:15:02,620 Exactly. 442 00:15:02,620 --> 00:15:06,040 Every new discovery, it opens up new paths 443 00:15:06,040 --> 00:15:08,520 to explore new ways of understanding 444 00:15:08,520 --> 00:15:09,840 our place in the cosmos. 445 00:15:09,840 --> 00:15:11,000 So true. 446 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:13,760 Speaking of new discoveries, what kind of research 447 00:15:13,760 --> 00:15:16,560 do you think will help us learn more about the Great Attractor 448 00:15:16,560 --> 00:15:17,400 in the future? 449 00:15:17,400 --> 00:15:19,640 Well, one area I'm really excited about, 450 00:15:19,640 --> 00:15:22,920 it's the development of even more powerful telescopes 451 00:15:22,920 --> 00:15:24,960 and observation techniques. 452 00:15:24,960 --> 00:15:27,600 For example, you've got the Square Kilometer Array. 453 00:15:27,600 --> 00:15:28,100 The what? 454 00:15:28,100 --> 00:15:28,920 SKA. 455 00:15:28,920 --> 00:15:29,840 SKA, OK. 456 00:15:29,840 --> 00:15:32,280 It's going to be the world's largest radio telescope. 457 00:15:32,280 --> 00:15:33,000 Oh, wow. 458 00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:36,120 Capable of seeing deeper into the universe than ever before. 459 00:15:36,120 --> 00:15:37,320 That's incredible. 460 00:15:37,320 --> 00:15:40,760 How will that help us study the Great Attractor specifically? 461 00:15:40,760 --> 00:15:44,400 Well, the SKA's sensitivity and resolution, 462 00:15:44,400 --> 00:15:48,040 it'll allow us to create much more detailed maps. 463 00:15:48,040 --> 00:15:50,600 You know, those maps of hydrogen gas distribution. 464 00:15:50,600 --> 00:15:51,320 Right, right. 465 00:15:51,320 --> 00:15:55,520 We'll be able to see the cosmic web structure in amazing detail. 466 00:15:55,520 --> 00:15:56,560 And that's not all. 467 00:15:56,560 --> 00:15:58,840 It will also let us study galaxy movements 468 00:15:58,840 --> 00:16:01,200 with incredible precision, helping 469 00:16:01,200 --> 00:16:04,400 us understand those gravitational forces at play 470 00:16:04,400 --> 00:16:05,720 in the Great Attractor region. 471 00:16:05,720 --> 00:16:08,120 So it's like, we had this blurry picture before, 472 00:16:08,120 --> 00:16:09,920 and now we're getting a high-res version. 473 00:16:09,920 --> 00:16:10,840 Yeah, exactly. 474 00:16:10,840 --> 00:16:12,960 And with all those new details, we'll 475 00:16:12,960 --> 00:16:15,400 have a much deeper understanding of how the universe works, 476 00:16:15,400 --> 00:16:16,440 what makes it tick. 477 00:16:16,440 --> 00:16:17,320 That's so cool. 478 00:16:17,320 --> 00:16:20,160 Besides the SKA, are there other things 479 00:16:20,160 --> 00:16:22,200 helping us study the Great Attractor? 480 00:16:22,200 --> 00:16:23,720 Oh, yeah, definitely. 481 00:16:23,720 --> 00:16:28,400 Advances in computer simulations and theoretical modeling. 482 00:16:28,400 --> 00:16:29,760 They're really crucial, too. 483 00:16:29,760 --> 00:16:30,280 How so? 484 00:16:30,280 --> 00:16:31,200 Well, think about it. 485 00:16:31,200 --> 00:16:34,160 These simulations let us test different theories 486 00:16:34,160 --> 00:16:36,720 about how those large-scale structures in the universe 487 00:16:36,720 --> 00:16:38,200 form and evolve. 488 00:16:38,200 --> 00:16:39,040 Oh, I see. 489 00:16:39,040 --> 00:16:40,960 We can play around with different parameters, 490 00:16:40,960 --> 00:16:42,600 like how much dark matter is there, 491 00:16:42,600 --> 00:16:43,880 what about dark energy. 492 00:16:43,880 --> 00:16:47,480 And then we can see how the simulation plays out over time. 493 00:16:47,480 --> 00:16:51,520 And then the exciting part, comparing these simulations 494 00:16:51,520 --> 00:16:54,280 to actual observations from telescopes. 495 00:16:54,280 --> 00:16:56,040 That's how we fine-tune our understanding 496 00:16:56,040 --> 00:16:59,000 of the Great Attractor, how it came to be, 497 00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:01,320 and what might happen to it in the future. 498 00:17:01,320 --> 00:17:04,120 So it's like a combination of actually observing 499 00:17:04,120 --> 00:17:06,760 the universe and also creating these models 500 00:17:06,760 --> 00:17:07,840 to test out our theories. 501 00:17:07,840 --> 00:17:08,520 Exactly. 502 00:17:08,520 --> 00:17:12,420 It's a team effort, observation and theoretical modeling. 503 00:17:12,420 --> 00:17:16,520 And as we gather more data, build more sophisticated models. 504 00:17:16,520 --> 00:17:19,840 I'm really confident we'll crack the code of the Great Attractor. 505 00:17:19,840 --> 00:17:20,840 That's awesome. 506 00:17:20,840 --> 00:17:22,960 Well, this has been an amazing journey of discovery. 507 00:17:22,960 --> 00:17:26,800 We've explored these unseen forces shaping the cosmos, 508 00:17:26,800 --> 00:17:30,120 delved into the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy. 509 00:17:30,120 --> 00:17:32,960 And we've learned about the incredible tools and techniques 510 00:17:32,960 --> 00:17:35,480 that are helping us unlock the secrets of the Great Attractor. 511 00:17:35,480 --> 00:17:36,720 It's been a fantastic journey. 512 00:17:36,720 --> 00:17:38,440 I'm glad we could share it with everyone. 513 00:17:38,440 --> 00:17:42,960 And for our listeners, remember to keep looking up and exploring. 514 00:17:42,960 --> 00:17:44,960 The universe is full of wonders. 515 00:17:44,960 --> 00:17:47,760 And the Great Attractor is just one example 516 00:17:47,760 --> 00:17:50,120 of what's out there waiting to be discovered. 517 00:17:50,120 --> 00:17:50,960 Couldn't agree more. 518 00:17:50,960 --> 00:17:55,120 It's all about curiosity, that drive to keep asking questions, 519 00:17:55,120 --> 00:17:56,840 keep searching for answers. 520 00:17:56,840 --> 00:17:58,360 And to all our listeners, if you want 521 00:17:58,360 --> 00:18:00,680 to learn more about the Great Attractor or any 522 00:18:00,680 --> 00:18:02,760 of those other cosmic mysteries, make 523 00:18:02,760 --> 00:18:04,400 sure you're following us on social media 524 00:18:04,400 --> 00:18:07,000 and subscribe to our podcast and YouTube channel. 525 00:18:07,000 --> 00:18:09,800 We're always posting new stuff, the latest discoveries, insights, 526 00:18:09,800 --> 00:18:10,760 all that good stuff. 527 00:18:10,760 --> 00:18:11,640 Absolutely. 528 00:18:11,640 --> 00:18:12,560 Stay tuned. 529 00:18:12,560 --> 00:18:14,280 We've got more exciting deep dives 530 00:18:14,280 --> 00:18:16,320 into the cosmos coming your way. 531 00:18:16,320 --> 00:18:20,280 So until next time, keep exploring the universe.