Fritz Zwicky and Dark Matter

1. Fritz Zwicky and Dark Matter Wes Donehower

2. The “Missing Mass” Problem • In 1933, Zwicky was studying galaxies and he estimated their total mass by measuring their brightness • Then, he used a different method of measuring the mass, and came up with a number 400x his estimate • Nobody did anything about it

3. Dark Matter • When scientists began to realize that large amounts of hidden mass would explain a lot of their findings, they began to search for “Dark Matter”

4. Dark Matter • Dark matter cannot be seen or felt; Its existence is implied • Could be subatomic particles lighter than an electron or black holes millions of time more massive than the Sun.

5. MACHO’s and WIMP’s • WIMP (Weakly Interacting Massive Particles) • Smaller than atoms • MACHO (Massive Astrophysical Compact Halo Objects) • Black Holes • Brown Dwarfs

6. Dark Matter • It is believed that Dark Matter could make up 90% of our Universe • Some scientist are skeptical of WIMP’s existence, but it seems unlikely that MACHO’s could make up 90% of our Universe • The discovery of Dark Matter would affect our place in the Universe