Rubin’s work and later studies, we now know that galaxies are surrounded by enormous invisible halos of matter containing 5/6 of their mass which extend ten times farther out than the visible regions. High orbital speeds in the outer parts of galaxies imply the existence of extra matter at large radial distances to insure these velocities.Īs a result of Dr. Rubin’s most important scientific contribution was establishing that the orbiting speeds of gas clouds in the outer rims of the galaxies she examined remain constant (i.e., “flat”) to distances well beyond the visible starlight, rather than declining as in the outer parts of our Solar System. Rubin played a crucial role in advancing all three, but let's look at her dark matter investigations in both gas cloud and star rotation around the central galactic cores of an increasing number of galaxies. Rubin’s life in astronomy bridged three crucial transitions: the discovery of dark matter, the replacement of photographic plates by more sensitive electronic detectors, and the entrance of significant numbers of female astronomers into the profession. Vera Rubin, a pioneering American astronomer, died on December 25, 2016, at the age of 88.
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