The expansion of the universe implies that the farther away an object is, the faster it is moving away from us, and its emissions are shifted to longer wavelengths of light. The targeted study presented a small surprise. We're seeing layer upon layer of structure in the way galaxies cluster. 2MASS is helping us to understand how matter coagulated and collapsed to form structures after the Big Bang, and how those structures are joined together. The research was conducted using 2Mass, twin infrared telescopes that see wavelengths beyond red light in the rainbow of visible colors.
Infrared light enables astronomers to peer past interstellar dust.
The 2Mass telescopes are located at Mount Hopkins, Ariz., and Cerro Tololo, Chile. 2MASS, the most extensive infrared astronomical survey to date, began operations in 1997, and concluded observations earlier this year.