Astronomers spot 280 galaxies spinning together in a cosmic filament

Spinning Cosmic Filament Reveals Unusual Galaxy Behaviour, Scientists Say (Representative Image: Canva)

A quiet corner of the universe has offered a curious sight. Astronomers report a long, thin chain of galaxies moving in surprising ways. Their work outlines a structure that behaves far differently than earlier expectations.

Astronomers from several nations found fourteen hydrogen-rich galaxies placed along a narrow stretch over 5.5 million light-years. Each galaxy sits inside a larger spinning filament nearly 50 million light-years long. This huge thread holds more than 280 galaxies and supports the wider web shaping the universe. These findings appear in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, providing fresh clues on galaxy birth and change.

Cosmic filaments form vast channels feeding matter and motion into galaxies. This filament appears to rotate as a whole body. Many galaxies also show aligned spins that match the filament’s turn. Earlier models viewed such alignments as random events, so this pattern raises new questions on how large structures mould galactic rotation.

A graphic shows neutral hydrogen rotating within galaxies on the right, an extended filament in the centre, and a shared large-scale turning motion that follows the cosmic web on the left. (Image: Lyla Jung)

Dr Lyla Jung of Oxford said the structure shows rare features. She compared it to a spinning teacup ride. Each galaxy turns like a teacup, while the entire platform rotates beneath. This shared motion offers insight into how galaxies gain spin from the structures holding them.

Researchers say the filament looks young and mostly untouched. It contains many gas-filled galaxies with gentle movement inside, suggesting a ‘dynamically cold’ phase. Hydrogen gas helps form new stars, so these galaxies help scientists study early growth. Gas traces the flow along filaments and reveals how angular momentum enters galaxies. This flow then shapes their forms and their spin rates.

Dr Madalina Tudorache, also a co-lead author linked with Cambridge and Oxford, said the filament acts like a fossil of old cosmic streams. She noted that it helps map how galaxies grow and gain spin across long periods.

Professor Matt Jarvis of Oxford said the work highlights the strength of joint observations. He explained that blending different datasets reveals deeper insight into cosmic structures. The project used data from South Africa’s MeerKAT radio telescope and optical surveys from DESI and SDSS. Teams in the UK and South Africa worked together to assemble the results.

Researchers now ask how such a large filament rotates in sync. They also ask how its aligned galaxies keep their shared motion. Each answer may help reveal how the universe builds its vast web and guides the rise of new galaxies.