Intergalactic dust is cosmic dust in between galaxies in intergalactic space. Evidence for intergalactic dust has been suggested as early as 1949, and study of it grew throughout the late 20th century. There are large variations in the distribution of intergalactic dust. The dust may affect intergalactic distance measurements, such as to supernovae and quasars in other galaxies.
Intergalactic dust can form intergalactic dust clouds, known since the 1960s to exist around some galaxies. By the 1980s, at least four intergalactic dust clouds had been discovered within several megaparsecs of the Milky Way galaxy, exemplified by the Okroy Cloud.
See also
- Astrochemistry
- Atomic and molecular astrophysics
- Cosmochemistry
- Extragalactic astronomy
- Extraterrestrial materials
- Hypervelocity star
- Intergalactic medium
- Intergalactic space
- Intergalactic star
- Interstellar medium
- List of interstellar and circumstellar molecules
- Warm–hot intergalactic medium
