Intergalactic dust facts for kids

Intergalactic dust is like tiny specks of space dust found in the vast, empty areas between galaxies. Imagine the universe as a huge neighborhood with many houses (galaxies). Intergalactic dust is the tiny bits of dirt floating in the streets and yards between those houses.

Scientists first thought about this dust as early as 1949. Over the years, especially in the late 1900s, they learned much more about it. This dust isn't spread out evenly; some areas have more, and some have less.

What is Intergalactic Dust?

Intergalactic dust is made of very small particles. These particles are much smaller than a grain of sand. They are mostly made of elements like carbon, silicon, and iron. They also contain ice.

Tiny Bits in Vast Space

Even though these dust particles are tiny, there are so many of them. They float in the huge spaces between galaxies. These spaces are called intergalactic space. It's mostly empty, but these tiny dust bits are still there.

How We Found It

Finding intergalactic dust is tricky because it's so spread out. Scientists use special telescopes to look for it. They study how light from distant objects changes as it travels through space. This helps them figure out where the dust is.

How Dust Affects Our View of Space

Intergalactic dust can make it harder to see things far away in space. It can block or change the light coming from distant objects. This is similar to how fog on Earth makes it hard to see far away.

Measuring Distances in Space

This dust can affect how we measure distances to very far-off objects. For example, when we look at exploding stars (supernovae) or very bright objects called quasars in other galaxies, the dust can make them look dimmer. This can make us think they are farther away than they really are.

Seeing Through the Dust

To see through this dust, scientists often use infrared light. Visible light, which we can see, gets absorbed and scattered by the dust. But infrared light can pass through the dust more easily. This means that distant objects look brighter when observed with infrared telescopes.

Intergalactic Dust Clouds

Sometimes, intergalactic dust gathers together to form intergalactic dust clouds. Scientists have known about these clouds since the 1960s. They are like big, hazy patches of dust floating around galaxies.

Famous Dust Clouds Near Us

By the 1980s, scientists had found at least four of these dust clouds. These clouds were within huge distances, millions of light-years, from our own Milky Way galaxy. One well-known example is called the Okroy Cloud. These clouds show us that dust isn't just spread out thinly. It can also clump together in interesting ways.

See also

• Astrochemistry
• Atomic and molecular astrophysics
• Cosmochemistry
• Extragalactic astronomy
• Extraterrestrial materials
• Hypervelocity star
• Intergalactic medium
• Intergalactic space
• Intergalactic star
• Interstellar medium
• List of interstellar and circumstellar molecules
• Warm–hot intergalactic medium