'El Gordo' Galaxy Cluster Takes The Science World By Storm

By Michael Lopez

Move over Raul De Molina, there's a new "El Gordo" in town. Several of the world's top astronomers have given the moniker to a recently discovered galaxy cluster, which may hold some serious secrets about the universe.

How exactly did it get its name in español? That actually has to do with where the massive star was spotted. NASA scientists first discovered "El Gordo" in Chile, using an extremely precise Atacama Cosmology Telescope.

Though the findings are rather recent, it is assumed that the cluster has been traveling the galaxy for a very long time. Seven billion years to be exact. And if you're curious about "El Gordo's" size, astronomers have theorized that it contains a mass two quadrillion times that of the sun!

Clearly reaching "El Gordo" would be impossible (it is reportedly billions of light years from Earth), but it could still help in solving some very important interplanetary mysteries. For one thing, scientists are hoping it can shed light on the enigma of dark matter.

Dark matter is something that can't be seen through telescopes, yet it makes up over 73% of the universe. Not only that, it is believed to be the cause of the cosmos' ongoing expansion. "El Gordo" appears to be overwrought with the substance, along with stars and possible planets of its own.

According to Rutgers University rep John Patrick Hughes, "El Gordo" may hold secrets to our very own existence. Followers of the famous "Big Bang Theory" believe that our universe was created out of an explosion within a massive galaxy cluster. "Gordo" is just that type of cluster and may represent how our universe looked over 13 billion years ago.

"Gigantic galaxy clusters like this are just what we were aiming to find," Hughes said. "We want to see if we understand how these extreme objects form using the best models of cosmology that are currently available."

Are you fascinated by the mysteries of the universe? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Big Bang Theory, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Dark Matter, El Gordo, Galaxy Cluster, Hot Stuff, John Patrick Hughes, NASA, Science, Technology