| MACHOs |
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Invisible stellar-sized objects, such as dim stars or brown dwarfs, which may account for the difference in mass between the luminous components of the Galaxy and the apparent total mass of the Galaxy implied by its gravitational behaviour. The term is said by those who invented it to stand for Massive Astrophysical Compact Halo Objects, but in part was contrived to contrast with another form of invisible matter, so-called WIMPs. See also: microlensing. |