Researchers led by the University of Oxford have discovered a massive cosmic structure identified as the largest known rotating thread of galaxies, located about 140 million light-years from Earth.
An international research team, spearheaded by scientists from the University of Oxford, has reported the discovery of a gigantic cosmic structure described as the largest known rotating thread in the universe. This new structure comprises a thin filament of galaxies stretching across millions of light-years, located approximately 140 million light-years away from Earth. The findings, published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, offer a fresh perspective on how galaxies acquire their rotation over time.
The newly observed cosmic thread is remarkable not only for its size but also for the simultaneous rotation of both the galaxies within it and the thread itself. Dr. Leila Young from the University of Oxford explains that this phenomenon had never been clearly observed at this scale before. The movement resembles a spinning carousel at an amusement park, where each cup spins on its own while the entire platform rotates. This dual motion challenges traditional models that have not accounted for the coordinated dynamics observed in this cosmic structure.
Moreover, the observation revealed that the rotation direction of the galaxies within the thread is not random; rather, most are rotating in the same direction as the cosmic thread itself. This discovery could have significant implications for our understanding of cosmic dynamics and the formation and evolution of galaxies, as it suggests a more complex interplay between the structures in the universe than previously thought.
