How big is the Pisces-Cetus Supercluster Complex?
The Pisces-Cetus Supercluster Complex is 10 yottameters
The Incredible Size of the Pisces-Cetus Supercluster Complex
Did you know there’s a cosmic giant hiding in our universe, so large that it makes our Milky Way galaxy seem like a tiny speck of dust? Welcome to the mind-boggling world of the Pisces-Cetus Supercluster Complex, one of the largest known structures in the universe.
What is the Pisces-Cetus Supercluster Complex?
The Pisces-Cetus Supercluster Complex is a galaxy filament, a long, thin structure filled with galaxies, like pearls on a string. This particular string of galaxies includes the Laniakea Supercluster, which houses the Virgo Supercluster. Nested inside the Virgo Supercluster is the Local Group, which is the galaxy cluster that our very own Milky Way calls home.
Size Comparison: Just How Big is the Pisces-Cetus Supercluster Complex?
While the size of the Pisces-Cetus Supercluster Complex can be difficult to comprehend, a few comparisons might help paint a picture of its enormity.
- The average human is about 5.5 feet tall. If we compare the average human’s height to the size of the Earth, we find that the Earth is about 7.6 million times taller.
- Now, if we compare the size of the Earth to the size of the Milky Way, our galaxy is about 100,000 light years across, making it vastly larger than the Earth.
- But if we then compare the size of the Milky Way to the Pisces-Cetus Supercluster Complex, the Complex is about 1 billion light years across! That’s approximately 10,000 times larger than the Milky Way. To put it another way, if the Milky Way was the size of a coffee cup, the Pisces-Cetus Supercluster Complex would be about the size of North America!
More Interesting Facts About the Pisces-Cetus Supercluster Complex
- The Pisces-Cetus Supercluster Complex isn’t just a single entity. It’s a filament, which means it’s formed by a string of individual superclusters.
- This Complex is next to another similar filament, the Perseus-Pegasus Filament. - The Pisces-Cetus Supercluster Complex stretches across an expanse of the universe where there’s a large void of galaxies. This void is one of the largest known areas of empty space in the universe, making the Complex’s size even more impressive. - The Laniakea Supercluster within the Complex is home to the Milky Way, which means we’re a part of this immense cosmic structure. In conclusion, the sheer size of the Pisces-Cetus Supercluster Complex is truly awe-inspiring. It’s a reminder of how vast our universe is and how small we are in comparison. Yet, it’s also a reminder of our connection to the cosmos, as we, on our tiny planet in the Milky Way, are part of this massive structure.
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Eridanus Supervoid
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Distance to the Great Attractor
The Great Attractor is pulling thousands of galaxies, including the Milky Way, towards itself. Its mass is tens of thousands of times greater than the Milky Way's.
Distance to the Shapley Supercluster
The Shapley Supercluster is a supercluster of galaxies. It is one of the largest objects that collapses inward; anything larger expands with the universe.
Larger By Category
Gigaparsec
A gigaparsec is one billion parsecs. It is one of the largest measures of distance. There's really no need to have any measure larger, because the radius of the observable universe is only 14 gigaparsecs.
Hercules–Corona Borealis Great Wall
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Distance to the HDF
The Hubble Deep Field is a picture of an empty spot in the night sky. The image had almost 3,000 objects in it - distant galaxies. It's unknown where these galaxies are now, but where they were 12.7 billion years ago is 12.7 billion light-years away from us.