Disk Component

Bulge Component

Dark Matter Halo (NFW)

Display Options

Statistics at 8 kpc (Solar Circle)

Dark Matter Evidence

Rotation curves measure the circular velocity v(r) of stars and gas orbiting a galaxy at different radii.

Key Physics:

  • v² = GM(<r)/r (circular orbit)
  • Visible matter alone: v should decline at large r
  • Observed: v stays flat → need dark matter
  • NFW profile: standard dark matter halo model

Instruction: Try setting the halo density to zero and watch the rotation curve fall off at large radii!