/
Article

Luminous and dark formations of intergalactic matter

APR 01, 1953
Recent advances in astronomical observation have added greatly to our store of information about the visible universe, but they have also led to a great increase in the number of unanswered questions concerning the distribution and nature of distant galaxies.
Fritz Zwicky

As astronomy pushed its limits from the solar system to the stars of the Milky Way and to the distant galaxies and clusters of galaxies, the following three problems suggested themselves automatically. Is there matter spread throughout interplanetary space? Is there matter in interstellar space? Are the enormous intergalactic spaces empty or not?

This article is only available in PDF format

References

  1. 1. F. Zwicky, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Year Book, No. 48, 1948–1949, p. 20;
    No. 49, 1949–1950, p. 15;
    No. 50 1950–1951, p. 21.
    F. Zwicky, Experientia, 6, 441–445, 1950.https://doi.org/EXPEAM

  2. 2. F. Zwicky, Astrophys. J., 86, 217 (1937); https://doi.org/ASJOAB
    F. Zwicky, Phys. Rev., 61, 489 (1942).https://doi.org/PHRVAO

  3. 3. F. Zwicky, Theodore von Karman Anniversary Volume, pp. 137–153, California Institute of Technology, 1941.

  4. 4. F. G. Pease, Astrophys. J., 51, 276–308 (1920).https://doi.org/ASJOAB

  5. 5. Publ. of the Astr. Soc. of the Pacific, 64, 242 (1952); https://doi.org/PASPAU
    see also P. C. Keenan, Astrophys. J., 81, 355 (1935). https://doi.org/ASJOAB
    Keenan in this paper, as far as I know, published the first photograph of a fairly widely separated pair of galaxies, NGC 5216–5218. the two members of which are connected by a luminous band. This system apparently remained an isolated case until the author during the past few years found a great number of similar cases.

  6. 6. H. Schlichting, Grenzschichtttheorie, p. 326. Ed. G. Braun Karlsruhe, 1951.

  7. 7. E. P. Hubble, The Realm of the Nebulae, p. 170. Vale University Press, 1936.

  8. 8. W. Baade and L. Spitzer, Astrophys. J., 113, 413 (1951).https://doi.org/ASJOAB

More about the authors

Fritz Zwicky, California Institute of Technology.

Related content
/
Article
/
Article
Cognizant of their role within the scientific community, scientific societies had to weigh how to respond to the actions by the Atomic Energy Commission.
/
Article
Interviews now available to the public bring the famed physicist’s lesser-known early years to life.
/
Article
Graduate students in physics and astronomy struggle with mental health. Support from peers and advisers is critical; so is institutional change.
This Content Appeared In
pt-cover_1953_04.jpeg

Volume 6, Number 4

Get PT newsletters in your inbox

pt_newsletter_card_blue.png
PT The Week in Physics

A collection of PT's content from the previous week delivered every Monday.

pt_newsletter_card_darkblue.png
PT New Issue Alert

Be notified about the new issue with links to highlights and the full TOC.

pt_newsletter_card_pink.png
PT Webinars & White Papers

The latest webinars, white papers and other informational resources.

By signing up you agree to allow AIP to send you email newsletters. You further agree to our privacy policy and terms of service.