First ever most comprehensive 3D map of universe created

Astrophysicists have created the first ever most comprehensive 3D map of universe, which spans nearly two billion light years.

The spherical map of galaxy superclusters will lead to a greater understanding of how matter is distributed in the universe and provide key insights into dark matter, one of physics' greatest mysteries.

Professor Mike Hudson, Jonathan Carrick and Stephen Turnbull, of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Waterloo, and Guilhem Lavaux the Institute d'Astrophysique de Paris of the Centre national de la recherche scientifique of France, created the map.

Scientists have observed that galaxies move differently because the universe's expansion was not even. These differences are called peculiar velocities. The Milky Way galaxy and its neighbour Andromeda are moving with a speed of 2 million kilometres per hour.

The next step will involve getting more detailed samples of peculiar velocities to enhance the map, in collaboration with researchers in Australia.

The map is published in the peer-review journal, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.