Pisces–Cetus Supercluster Complex
Galaxy supercluster complex containing the Virgo Supercluster
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Observational history
Astronomer R. Brent Tully of the University of Hawaii's Institute of Astronomy discovered a very massive agglomeration that includes the Local and Pisces–Cetus Superclusters in 1986, and identified it as the "extended Pisces–Cetus Supercluster", and later the Pisces–Cetus Supercluster Complex in 1987. In addition, four more other nearby supercluster complexes within a redshift of z = 0.1 (roughly 340 megaparsecs) have also been discovered, including Ursa Major, Hercules-Corona Borealis, Leo, and Aquarius Supercluster Complexes. The Aquarius Supercluster Complex was known to contain 25 rich galaxy clusters and is composed of two parts, which are both the Aquarius Region and the Aquarius-Capricornus Region. It along with Pisces–Cetus Supercluster Complex have been shown to contains most of the 114 southern Abell clusters. Only 28 are not associated with these two main complexes, with no other association having more than four members.
Following the discovery of those supercluster complexes at the end of the 20th century, more other supercluster complexes were later identified such as Sloan and BOSS Great Walls.
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Extent
The Pisces–Cetus Supercluster Complex is estimated to be about 380 megaparsecs (1.24 billion light-years; 1.17×1022 kilometres) long and 160 megaparsecs (520 million light-years; 4.9×1021 kilometres) wide, making it one of the largest structures known in the observable universe. This brings it to roughly the theoretical limit per the Cosmological Principle. Despite that, larger sizes have been suggested for other structures such as Quipu superstructure, Clowes–Campusano LQG and U1.11, along with the disputed and unconfirmed Huge-LQG, Giant GRB Ring, and Hercules–Corona Borealis Great Wall.
61 rich clusters comprise the complex, which is estimated to have a total mass of approximately 1018 times that of the mass of the Sun (M☉). According to the discoverer, the complex is composed of 5 parts:
- The Pisces–Cetus Superclusters
- The Perseus–Pegasus chain, including the Perseus–Pisces Supercluster
- The Pegasus–Pisces chain
- The Sculptor region, including the Sculptor Superclusters
- The Laniakea, which contains our Virgo Supercluster (Local Supercluster) as well as the Hydra–Centaurus Supercluster.
With its mass of 1015 M☉, our Virgo Supercluster accounts for only 0.1 percent of the total mass of the complex. Coma Supercluster was also considered to be part of this complex by the time of its discovery in 1986, which forms the heart of Coma Filament and the larger CfA2 Great Wall.
Latest observations of basins of attraction suggested a basin of attraction around Ophiuchus Cluster may be associated with Laniakea, and also have found both, along with Apus and Coma Superclusters, are moving toward the greater Shapley Attractor and may be thus part of the Shapley Concentration.