In the vast expanse of the universe, beyond our earthly confines, lies a region known as Bootes Void, or the Great Nothing. Discovered in 1981 by astronomer Richard Kirshner, this enigmatic void is a roughly spherical region located 700 million light-years away from Earth, near the constellation of the same name.
Bootes Void is truly vast, spanning approximately 330 million light-years wide, a space so immense that it could contain the Milky Way billions of times over. Within the complex web of galaxies that populate the universe, voids like Bootes stand out as vast expanses devoid of the usual galactic clusters.
According to NASA, voids make up about 80 percent of the observable universe, and Bootes Void is among the largest, earning it the title of ‘supervoid.’ It is believed that Bootes Void is the result of smaller voids merging together over cosmic timescales.
But how were these voids created? The answer lies in the aftermath of the Big Bang, when all matter in the universe began tightly packing together. However, random quantum fluctuations led to small differences in the distribution of matter. Some areas became densely packed, exerting stronger gravitational pulls that drew matter away from less dense regions.
As a result, voids began to form, and Bootes Void represents about two percent of the diameter of the entire observable universe. Despite its vast emptiness, Bootes Void is not entirely devoid of matter. More research has revealed approximately 60 galaxies within its bounds, a surprisingly small number given its size. By comparison, the Great Nothing should theoretically contain around 2,000 galaxies based on its area.
The mysteries of Bootes Void continue to captivate astronomers and cosmologists alike, offering tantalizing clues about the structure and evolution of the universe. As our understanding of the cosmos deepens, the secrets of Bootes Void may yet reveal themselves, shedding light on the intricate tapestry of the cosmos.
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