Intergalactic dust

Intergalactic dust is cosmic dust in between galaxies in intergalactic space.^[1] Evidence for intergalactic dust has been suggested as early as 1949, and study of it grew throughout the late 20th century.^[1] There are large variations in the distribution of intergalactic dust.^[1] Dust may affect intergalactic distance measurements, such as supernovae and quasars in other galaxies.^[2] Partially due to the dust's absorption and re-emission of visible light, observations of more distant astronomical objects have greater apparent magnitude when conducted in infrared.^[3]

Intergalactic dust can form intergalactic dust clouds, known since the 1960s to exist around some galaxies.^[1] By the 1980s, at least four intergalactic dust clouds had been discovered within several megaparsecs of the Milky Way galaxy,^[1] exemplified by the Okroy Cloud.^[1]

See also

• Astrochemistry – Study of molecules in the Universe and their reactions
• Atomic and molecular astrophysics – Field of study on atomic and molecular particles in space
• Cosmochemistry – Study of the chemical composition of matter in the universe
• Extragalactic astronomy – Study of astronomical objects outside the Milky Way Galaxy
• Extraterrestrial materials – Natural objects that originated in outer space
• Hypervelocity star – Study of the movement of starsPages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets
• Intergalactic medium – Plasma that cosmologists believe exists between galaxiesPages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets
• Intergalactic space – Void between celestial bodiesPages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets
• Intergalactic star – Star not gravitationally bound to any galaxy
• Interstellar medium – Matter and radiation in the space between the star systems in a galaxy
• List of interstellar and circumstellar molecules
• Warm–hot intergalactic medium – Plasma that cosmologists believe exists between galaxies