{
  "id": 6735121,
  "title": "3D map reveals cities of galaxies taking shape in early universe",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/11/3d-map-reveals-cities-of-galaxies-taking-shape-in-early-universe",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-09-11T09:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Mashable",
    "slug": "mashable",
    "url": "https://mashable.com/science/3d-galaxy-supercluster-map"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Astronomers have created a 3D map of a distant patch of sky, unveiling a massive supercluster with roughly 5,000 times the mass of the Milky Way in the early universe. Previously, this area appeared as a flat, painted ceiling in space photos, due to galaxies lining up from the observer's perspective. This optical illusion made it unclear whether the structures were a single galaxy cluster or multiple clusters in development. The 3D map clarified that the structures were not a regular galaxy cluster under construction but a supercluster, a cluster of clusters.\n\nThe main supercluster, COSMOS‑Z3.1‑A, is the earliest ever discovered, while a smaller one, COSMOS‑Z3.1‑C, was found nearby. Both are so distant that they appear as they were when the universe was only 2 or 3 billion years old, less than a quarter of its current age. The study, published in The Astrophysical Journal, utilized the Dark Energy Camera on the Blanco 4-meter telescope in Chile and large telescopes in Chile, Hawaii, and Arizona. By analyzing the light stretch, scientists determined the galaxies' distances, enabling them to create a 3D representation of the superclusters.\n\nThe 3D map revealed 10 dense clumps of galaxies in COSMOS‑Z3.1‑A and about four in COSMOS‑Z3.1‑C. These clumps are massive and crowded enough to develop into individual galaxy clusters. The study's findings provide a glimpse into the early stages of the universe's largest architectural structures, as galaxies are believed to initially form groups, slide along filaments, and merge into rounder, settled clusters and superclusters. The research also helps scientists understand the arrangement of matter in the universe, which forms long highways that converge at intersections, where clusters and superclusters typically gather.",
  "summary": "A 3D map of a colossal proto-supercluster reveals how giant galaxy clusters grew from the cosmic web in the early universe.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}