El Gordo's unusual size may point to self-interacting dark matter

Summary

El Gordo, a distant and unusually massive cluster of galaxies, has two regions in the process of colliding, according to Phys.org, which reports a combined mass of more than two quadrillion solar masses. Universe Today says the cluster’s size for its era may be explained by dark matter interacting with itself in a two-state way.

Timeline

1. Universe Today

   16 Oct 2026, 14:21 UTCSource ↗

   Universe Today reports that El Gordo’s unusual size for its distance could be explained by dark matter interacting with itself in a two-state way.

2. Phys.org

   16 Oct 2026, 18:00 UTCSource ↗

   Phys.org reports that El Gordo, seven billion light-years from Earth, has two regions colliding and a combined mass of more than two quadrillion solar masses.