Astronomers discover the largest known object in the universe, 13,000 times the length of Milky Way

Astronomers Unveil ‘Quipu’—A Cosmic Giant 13,000 Times Larger Than the Milky Way (Image: AI)

Astronomers have identified a colossal cosmic structure in space. Named "Quipu," this vast formation stretches 1.3 billion light-years across. Scientists say it could reshape our understanding of the universe’s large-scale structure.

A Superstructure Unlike Any Other
Quipu was named after an ancient Incan measuring system. It is more than 13,000 times the size of the Milky Way. Researchers found it while analysing galaxy cluster data. The study, available on ArXiv, is yet to be peer-reviewed.

Currently, the largest known structure is the Hercules-Corona Borealis Great Wall. It spans 10 billion light-years but remains disputed. Quipu, however, is clearly visible in sky maps.

Scientists also discovered four other massive superclusters. Together, these five structures contain 45% of galaxy clusters, 30% of galaxies, and 25% of observable matter.

This image displays five newly identified superstructures. Quipu (red) is the largest in the local universe, followed by Shapley (blue), Serpens-Corona Borealis (green), Hercules (purple), and Sculptor-Pegasus (beige). (Image: Boehringer et al. / arXiv)

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Sheetal Kumari

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Influencing Galactic Motion
Superclusters are massive collections of galaxy groups and clusters. The Milky Way itself belongs to the Laniakea Supercluster. Researchers suggest Quipu plays a major role in cosmic motion.

Quipu contributes to the gravitational pull affecting the Local Group. This influences its movement relative to the Cosmic Microwave Background. However, further studies are needed to confirm these effects.

A Temporary Cosmic Formation
Despite its vast size, Quipu will not last forever. Scientists believe it will eventually break into smaller, collapsing units. They describe it as a "transient configuration" that will change over time.

Studying Quipu may help refine cosmological models. It could offer new insights into galaxy evolution and large-scale cosmic dynamics. Researchers stress the need for further investigation into its impact on the universe.