Giant Spinning Structure Discovered Stretching 50 Million Light-years Across Universe
A newly discovered cosmic filament, spanning 50 million light-years, is influencing the spin and growth of galaxies within it, scientists announced Dec. 4 in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. The structure represents a “fossil record of cosmic flows,” offering insights into how galaxies acquire their rotation and evolve.
Researchers found that the rotation of this filament dominates the spin of the galaxies it contains, possibly funneling hydrogen gas and dark matter onto them, fueling star formation. “This filament is a fossil record of cosmic flows,” said Tudorache. “It helps us piece together how galaxies acquire their spin and grow over time.”
The galaxies within the filament appear relatively young and in early stages of development, suggesting their spins may change as they mature. The degree to which material flowing along cosmic filaments can influence galactic properties is a surprising finding that will necessitate revisions to existing models of galaxy formation.
This revelation also has implications for upcoming weak lensing surveys, such as those planned by the Legacy Survey of Space and Time at the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile, which recently released its first-light images this past summer. these surveys map the cosmic web by detecting distortions in galaxy shapes caused by gravitational lensing from dark matter; understanding galactic alignment within filaments will improve measurement accuracy.
